Russia protests Israeli strike near Bushehr nuclear plant

Russia has lodged an official protest with Israel following an airstrike near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, warning of potential risks to Russian personnel working at the facility.

According to political sources cited by the Israeli newspaper Maariv, Moscow sent a formal protest via its embassy in Israel after a strike targeted an area close to the residences of Russian experts involved in operating the plant.

The sources said Russia stressed that the location of its personnel was known in advance and that the strike took place near their accommodation, raising serious safety concerns. It remains unclear whether the residences were directly hit.

The targeted site lies close to the Bushehr nuclear plant, Iran’s only civilian nuclear facility, located about 17 kilometres southeast of the city of Bushehr. The plant, inaugurated in 2011, operates using Russian fuel and technical support, with a capacity of around 1,000 megawatts.

READ: Russian, Chinese foreign ministers condemn US-Israeli strikes on Iran, call for truce

Russian engineers and specialists have long played a key role in running the facility, making it a strategically sensitive site for Moscow.

According to the report, Russia considers any military activity near Bushehr as a threat not only to Iranian infrastructure but also to Russian interests, given the presence of hundreds of its experts at the site.

Amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, Moscow has already evacuated some personnel and their families, although a significant number of specialists remain at the plant. Reports indicate that some operations have been slowed or suspended as a precaution.

Russian officials warned that any direct strike on the facility could result in a radioactive leak, posing a serious environmental threat to the wider region.

Moscow also noted that it had previously informed Israel of the presence of its experts at Bushehr, in coordination with Iranian authorities, to avoid such risks during military operations.

READ: Iran says Strait of Hormuz open to all except US and allies