**Russia Warns of Nuclear Catastrophe, But Critics Point to Its Own History**
On June 18, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned that the world is just “millimeters away from catastrophe” due to Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. This came four months after a Russian drone struck the Chornobyl nuclear site in Ukraine, an incident widely condemned as a deliberate provocation.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Israel of escalating the risk of a nuclear incident in the Middle East. However, critics point out that Russia has its own history of threatening the use of nuclear weapons and placing nuclear facilities under attack during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In February, Russian forces struck the Chornobyl nuclear facility with a Shahed drone, hitting the protective sarcophagus that encases Reactor No. 4, the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster. While damage was limited, no radiation leakage occurred, but the act was widely condemned as a warning of Russia’s willingness to weaponize fear of nuclear disaster.
**Russia’s Double Standards**
President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack on the Chornobyl plant “a terrorist threat to the whole world.” Ukrainian officials and nuclear security experts said the strike was unlikely to cause significant radioactive contamination but served as a warning of Russia’s willingness to use fear tactics. Russia has also intensified strikes near other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, including infrastructure connected to the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
Analysts view these attacks as part of a broader campaign of intimidation aimed at pressuring Kyiv and its allies into a settlement. This is where critics say Russia’s words on Israel’s actions fall flat, given its own history of threatening nuclear war and attacking nuclear facilities in Ukraine.
**Growing Tensions in the Middle East**
Zakharova’s comments follow growing international concern over rising tensions between Israel and Iran. Russia has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the conflict, but European leaders have dismissed the Kremlin’s neutrality due to its deepening military ties with Tehran and ongoing aggression in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin “cannot be trusted” to mediate peace in the Middle East while launching mass strikes on Ukrainian cities, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. The Kremlin has offered to mediate the conflict between Israel and Iran, but so far, Israel has rejected the offer.
**Russia’s Links to Iran**
Russia continues to receive military support from Iran, including drones and missiles used in attacks across Ukraine. This has led many to question Russia’s neutrality in the Middle East conflict and its ability to serve as a credible mediator.
As tensions continue to rise between Israel and Iran, it remains to be seen whether Russia can genuinely play a neutral role in mediating peace in the region. Given its own history of aggression and nuclear threats, many experts say that Russia’s words on Israeli strikes ring hollow.
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