Russia Evacuates Staff from Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Plant Following Reported Strike
Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Russia’s atomic energy agency Rosatom, confirmed on Wednesday that 163 people left Bushehr for the Iranian-Armenian border early Wednesday morning (0420 GMT).
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Russia has evacuated additional personnel from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant after a reported projectile landed within the facility late Tuesday, officials said.
Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Russia’s atomic energy agency Rosatom, confirmed on Wednesday that 163 people left Bushehr for the Iranian-Armenian border early Wednesday morning (0420 GMT). “Right now, about 300 remain… Some people will stay. I think it will be a few dozen who will oversee the equipment,” Likhachev told reporters, including AFP.
The Bushehr plant, partially constructed by Russia, relies on Russian technicians for its operation. Rosatom had already withdrawn 150 staff amid concerns over potential airstrikes from the United States and Israel. The agency was also building two new reactors at the site when the conflict escalated.
Iran’s atomic energy organization said the projectile caused no damage and accused the US and Israel of targeting the plant.
In response to the incident, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog called for “maximum restraint to avoid nuclear safety risks,” emphasizing the potential dangers of military activity near nuclear facilities.