Threat of explosion at Zaporizhzhia NPP is higher than nuclear strike by Russia – Duda

Polish President Andrzej Duda doubts the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons against Ukraine but admits the possibility of an explosion at a nuclear power plant by the Russian occupying forces.

Source: European Pravda, citing Andrzej Duda in an interview for The Washington Post

Quote: "No, I think that Russia will not resort to using nuclear weapons in Ukraine. If someone were to ask me about the nuclear threat, I am much more concerned about potential problems with the nuclear power plants in Ukraine."

Details: Duda explained that the nuclear arsenal in Russia is under the collective control of many people, so the decision on a strike should not be made by only one person.

Instead, something could happen that would look like a nuclear accident, the Polish president believes. 

Quote: "Because in my view, in my conviction here, the threat of an explosion [at a nuclear plant] is much greater than in the case of using nuclear arms."

Background: On 4 March 2022, Russian troops seized the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and turned it into their own military base, placed weapons on the territory of the plant, and probably mined some reactors and a cooling pond.

On 6 June 2023, Russian invaders blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, most likely to slow down the Ukrainian counteroffensive due to the man-made disaster and the flooding of the territories of Kherson Oblast.

The Ukrainian authorities also announced the threat of the detonation of explosive devices on the territory of the ZNPP, which is situated higher up the Dnipro River.

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