THE world is on alert for a potential nuclear disaster that could affect billions of people amid fears Vladimir Putin has placed bombs on reactors at a power plant.
Officials in Ukraine believe the tyrant is preparing to blow up the Zaporizhzhia plant – which experts say could trigger a disaster ten times more devastating than Chernobyl.
And as fears of a blast escalate, Ukraine has been holding chilling nuclear disaster drills at and around the vast complex.
Military chiefs in the war-torn country say “explosive devices” were placed on the roof of the plant’s third and fourth reactors on Tuesday.
Meanwhile intelligence reports suggest Russian soldiers who have occupied it since the early days of the war were ordered to leave by today – suggesting an attack was imminent.
Nuclear experts have said that a major blast at the plant would affect a billion people across 40 countries.
The exclusion zone of 30,000 km² would be the same as ten Chernobyl zones and it would be impossible to live or run an economy in the area for the next 100,000 years with two million people needing to be resettled.
It is feared Russia will trigger a minor explosion – which would not blow the entire plant – and make it appear that Ukraine forces were responsible.
False flag fears have been fuelled by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who told Sputnik radio Ukraine is planning to conduct a “terrorist attack” at the plant.
She warned “not a single corner of the planet will be unaffected” and that a blast would therefore impact billions.
Zakharova added: “If anything happens, everything will be affected – the air, the water, and food.
“And Zelensky is clearly seeking to use this factor for his extremist terrorist purposes.”
But analysts fear even a minor attack could destabilise the plant risking a major incident.
Security experts said that even Putin would not risk such an atrocity, but did warn that his actions in blowing up the Kakhovskaya dam in a Russian occupied area show he is ruthless enough to sacrifice his own forces.
President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the Kremlin of planning a “new evil” at the plant.
He said: “Radiation is a threat to everyone in the world, and a nuclear power plant must be fully protected against any radiation incidents.
“From our intelligence, we have information that on the roof, the Russian military placed objects similar to explosives. To stop it is the duty of everyone in the world.”
A government adviser added: “Russian personnel are instructed to leave the plant by July 5.
“Russia has announced in the UN Security Council they are not going to blow up the NPP – the same people who swore they would not invade Ukraine.
Europe is at risk of radiation poison
“The situation is a global threat. And it is getting increasingly more dangerous.”
The protection of nuclear power plants was discussed by Zelensky and the Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine at a crunch meeting today.
It comes as Ukraine has been holding nuke disaster drills in the area.
Hazmat-clad troops have been spraying potential fall-out victims in case of a nuclear emergency at and around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in the south of the country.
Ukraine this month accused Russia of planning a “terrorist” attack at the plant involving the release of radiation, though the Kremlin has denied this.
Yuriy Malashko, governor of the Zaporizhzhia region which includes the plant, has now revealed drills have begun in the main city and a nearby district.
TV footage showed rescuers – wearing yellow and white protective gear and gas masks – using dosimeters to check passenger cars and trucks for radiation levels.
They were also seen cleaning wheels before vehicles underwent additional decontamination at specialised washing points, while a man on a stretcher was brought into a medical tent as sirens blared.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, sits near the city of Enerhodar in southern Ukraine.
The plant has been occupied by Russia since early March last year, shortly after Moscow’s full-scale invasion.
Zelensky urged the international community this month to put pressure on Russia to end its occupation of the plant and guarantee nuclear safety.
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