Russia has issued a stark warning: an Israeli strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant could unleash a "Chernobyl-style catastrophe", according to Rosatom's head, Alexei Likhachev. He emphasized that targeting an operational reactor unit at Bushehr - built and managed in partnership with Russia - would be an act "beyond evil", with potentially catastrophic outcomes .

The Kremlin has partially evacuated its specialists from the site, though hundreds remain on-site under safety assurances from Israel, as confirmed by President Putin . Russia’s Foreign Ministry, led by Maria Zakharova, denounced any attack on peaceful nuclear facilities as illegal, while cautioning Washington against escalation, warning global consequences are "unpredictable".

Israel’s military has since clarified it did not target Bushehr, focusing instead on other Iranian nuclear sites like Natanz, Isfahan, and Arak. The International Atomic Energy Agency also confirmed that Bushehr remains intact and operational.

That said, the mere threat of striking Bushehr has sent ripples through global security circles, prompting fears of radiation release, regional water contamination, and a potential humanitarian disaster. In response, Russia has signaled openness to diplomatic mediation - though time is running out to prevent irreparable damage.