Putin Nukes Ukrainian “Saboteurs” To Save Reactors?

Russians shelling a Ukraine nuclear plant sparked fears of a Chernobyl-like environmental disaster, yet Putin blamed Ukrainian “saboteurs” for starting a resulting blaze. Only wonder is he didn’t berate the Ukrainians for relying on nuclear power rather than Russian natural gas or oil, which Europe & the US (still) buys like water.

The facts: WSJ reports that a fire at the Zaporizhzhia Power Plant, its six reactors being the largest such energy facility in Europe, did erupt about 3 am as the Russian shelling started & was extinguished several hours later without any radiation leaks. Both sides agreed the Russian soldiers now at the complex weren’t “interfering with the plant’s staff” (3 of whom had been killed) while staying operational in carrying out its peaceful purposes.

The PR War: Consistent with their past PR gamesmanship, the Russians quickly announced the potential disaster was due to the Ukrainian military’s “attempt at sabotage”, suggesting it was the host country that set the nuclear power plant ablaze & it was the Russians who saved it. But, Ukraine President Zelensky called it a Russian “act of terror” that put all of Europe at risk. “We survived the night that could have put an end to history,” he said, while “reiterating his call on the West to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine.”

[Unfortunately, Putin knows the West knows such a no-fly zone could spark a holocaust of its own aka “WWIII. President Biden & NATO heads have repeatedly said neither troops nor aircraft would be made available to the defenders. Meanwhile, Russian forces are reportedly nearing ANOTHER nuclear plant … Ukraine, btw, operates 9 other nuclear reactors spread throughout the nation.]

Davd Soul