ST. PETERSBURG, June 20. /TASS/. A strike on the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran may lead to a nuclear disaster comparable in scope with the Chernobyl or Fukushima accidents, said Alexey Likhachev, the CEO of Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom.
"Certainly, if a strike is delivered on Unit One, the active reactor, it will be a disaster comparable to Chernobyl or Fukushima. And this must be prevented by all means. The entire nuclear industry - including the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) - is united in the opinion that weapons and active nuclear sites do not mix," he said.
Likhachev expressed hope that Israel’s political and military leadership understands that even an accidental hit on Bushehr must be prevented.
Overnight into June 13, Israel started Operation Rising Lion against the Iranian nuclear program. Less than a day later, Iran carried out a retaliatory attack. Over the following days, Israel and Iran traded blows again. Both sides reported fatalities and other casualties in the attacks, acknowledged that some targets on their territory were hit, but said the damage was limited. Mutual strikes are ongoing.