For a large-scale attack on Ukrainian nuclear power plants, Russia can use 200-300 weapons of various types. Military expert Oleg Katkov believes so.
Points of attention
- Russia's potential attack on Ukrainian nuclear power plants could involve 200-300 weapons like missiles and drones, aiming to disrupt the energy infrastructure.
- Ukraine's air defense systems may not be fully equipped to counter a Russian assault due to limited resources and the concentrated nature of the attack.
- Prevention measures suggested by experts include enhancing air defense capabilities, increasing international pressure, and highlighting Russia's actions as crimes against humanity.
- The focus of the attack is not only on destroying the nuclear plants but also on disabling the electricity transmission grid, emphasizing the need for proactive defense strategies.
- The use of various types of aircraft, drones, and missiles like the 'Kinzhal' poses significant challenges to Ukraine's defense, highlighting the complex nature of the potential threat.
Russia can hit Ukraine's nuclear power plants with 200-300 missiles and drones
Regarding the capabilities and reserves of the enemy's means of destruction: if the Russians really attack our nuclear power plants, it will be the most concentrated attack. It is obvious that this will probably not be an attack on the power units themselves, but on the infrastructure to disable the NPP. However, this will also be an attack on a nuclear facility.
For such an attack, the Russians can use more than 100 aircraft of various types. That is, drones will also fly, the task of which will be to overload our air defense system. Cruise and high-speed missiles of the "Kinzhal" type will also be used. And here it is important to understand one thing that any anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense can be penetrated, no matter how dense it is.
Oleg Katkov
Military expert
The expert emphasized that Ukraine's air defense and anti-missile systems may not be able to cope with a Russian attack on the nuclear power plant.
Since there are always questions about loaded missiles in SAMs and the number of air defense systems. And this, if we even allocate one Patriot system for each of our nuclear power plants, and it also requires cover systems.
Despite all this, due to the number of weapons that the enemy can use, air defense and anti-missile systems may not shoot down all these aircraft. Therefore, there is a high probability that the Russians can use 200-300 missiles and UAVs to attack Ukrainian nuclear power plants.
Only direct coercion can stop the Russian Federation
As the adviser to the head of the President's Office Mykhailo Podolyak said, Russia understands that the only way to wage war against the civilian population is the complete destruction of the energy infrastructure.
Their goal is not to destroy the nuclear power plants themselves, but to destroy the ability to transmit electricity to the general grid, in particular by striking nearby substations.
Thus, Mykhailo Podolyak outlined several basic steps to prevent possible strikes:
Publicity — it is important to speak openly about Russia's terrorist actions and legally document them as crimes against humanity.
Strengthening air defense — it is necessary to insist on a significant increase in the supply of air defense systems and missiles for them.
International pressure — cooperation with the IAEA and other organizations that have an impact on the world market of nuclear technologies. This also applies to the impact on countries such as India and China.
