Nuclear Expert Joseph Cirincione Warns of Potential ‘Mass Destruction’ as Russians Occupy Ukraine Power Plant
Joseph Cirincione, author of Nuclear Nightmares: Securing the World Before It Is Too Late, warned of a potential nuclear “mass destruction” amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Cirincione joined Victor Blackwell and Alisyn Camerota on CNN Newsroom to address Russia’s recent occupation of a nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
The nuclear expert first noted that he does not think Vladimir Putin “intends to cause a nuclear accident” by seizing the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and instead is looking to “terrorize the population of Ukraine.”
“He does want to cut off their electrical supplies, so you seize an electric power plant,” Cirincione added. “Now if this was a coal plant or wind farm and you cut it off or blew it up, it wouldn’t matter. But this is a nuclear facility. This thing has to be maintained at a very high level of integrity at all times.”
He went on to note that Putin’s attack on the Zaporizhzhia plant, where a fire was reported, is unprecedented as no country has ever attacked a nuclear power plant.
Stressing that he does not want to be an alarmist or “scare people,” Cirincione went on to say that Putin’s attack puts the facilities at “severe risk.”
“We are in deep trouble here and I’m afraid it’s going to get worse,” he continued.
He went on to note that those working at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant didn’t intend to cause an accident, but that “accidents happen under perfect conditions — and this is war.”
“Even though they are wearing Russian army uniforms, this is a terrorist act against a nuclear power facility that could lead to a mass destruction event,” he said.
“We should be deeply concerned about what is going on in Ukraine, overall but particularly at its nuclear power facilities. I’m afraid our nuclear nightmares in Ukraine are multiplying.”
Watch above, via CNN.
