Medvedev threatens to strike nuclear power plants in worrying message

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has made plenty of concerning comments since the invasion of Ukraine but his latest message threatening to strike three nuclear power plants inside of Ukraine and Eastern Europe appears to be particularly unhinged. 

In a message to his followers on Telegram, Medvedev explained if NATO missiles were found to be used in a recent attempt to destroy a nuclear power plant in Russia, then it would be okay for Moscow to hit nuclear power plants in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. 

"If the attempt to attack the Smolensk NPP with NATO missiles is confirmed, we should consider the scenario of a simultaneous Russian strike,” Medvedev wrote according to an English translation of his comments from Ukrainska Pravda. 

Medvedev specifically mentioned that the Pivdennoukrainsk, Rivne, and Khmelnytsky nuclear power plants should be hit, and in a very concerning statement, also said that facilities in Eastern Europe should be hit as well. “There is no reason to hold back."

Ukrainska Pravda explained an alleged attempt by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to attack the Smolensk nuclear power plant in Desnogorsk was reported on July 9th by a Russian propaganda Telegram channel, suggesting British Storm Shadow missiles were used.

Two Storm Shadows were allegedly shot down in the attempt to strike the nuclear plant inside of Russia and Mash showed off what it said was wreckage from the downed missiles. 

"Both missiles were shot down by Russian air defense in the skies over the village of Bytosh, Bryansk Oblast, Russia, at around 14:00. The first one fell into a field, the second on the premises of a sawmill," Mash claimed. 

The Kremlin hasn’t provided any official information on the incident or even commented on whether or not something did occur. But that didn’t stop Medvedev from taking to his social media page and warning Russia’s enemies that catastrophe could befall them. 

Striking at nuclear plants in Ukraine alone might be enough to trigger a wider war in the area after late June rumors about the mining of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant prompted U.S. lawmakers to introduce resolutions warning Putin against its destruction.  

“This resolution is meant to send a message to Vladimir Putin and to his military: they will be destroyed if they use tactical nuclear weapons or if they destroy a nuclear plant in a way that threatens surrounding NATO nations,” Senator Richard Blumenthal said.

Companion legislation was introduced by lawmakers Joe Wilson and Steven Cohen just days after Blumenthal and Graham’s resolution, and Wilson specifically referenced the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in his comments about the resolution. 

“The threat of use of a nuclear device or the detonation of mines at the site of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant is imminent,” Representative Wilson explained on June 27th. 

“The best deterrent is a clarification that any use of tactical nuclear weapons or act of destruction of a nuclear facility that disperses radioactive materials into NATO territory will be viewed as an attack on NATO itself, which requires massive retaliation,” Wilson added. 

What would happen if the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was destroyed is unknown. It’s unlikely NATO would go to war even if a nuclear plume for the destroyed plant made its way into any of the alliance member’s territories.

However, we do know that if Russia chose to strike at nuclear power plants in Eastern Europe, then NATO would almost certainly be drawn into the war in Ukraine, and that’s why we can take what Medvedev is saying with a grain of salt. It's not meant for us. 

Medvedev’s comments about striking at nuclear power plants in Ukraine and in Eastern Europe are the same sort of bluster he’s been spewing about nuclear war and World War III since the invasion began and none of what he’s predicted has come to pass yet.