Putin issues chilling 'nuclear catastrophe' warning as Trump strikes Iran

 Vladimir Putin was today forced to order a new evacuation of Russians from the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran, say reports. This comes amid warnings of a "catastrophe" if fissile material at the facility is attacked.

Hundreds of Russian construction staff are building two new reactors at the power plant, but work has been halted because of the current war with "explosions" audible from the facility. Rosatom - the Russian state nuclear energy corporation - is poised to attempt a second removal of its citizens "soon", evacuating "family members and some staff", said Alexei Likhachev, head of Russia's state nuclear energy corporation, on Monday (March 9).

The existing completed reactor is working with 72 tons of nuclear fuel at the site, while there is also 210 tons of spent fuel - "a huge mass of fissile material" - he said.

It is "unsafe" for workers to be at the site amid "tense" conditions with "explosions" heard just miles from the nuclear plant's security perimeter. Despite this, some are expected to remain. Some Russians are needed at the site "servicing equipment and completing work that cannot be stopped". Some 639 Russians remain at the plant, but the children of workers have already been taken out.

Putin "is personally involved in resolving security issues for Russian employees at the Bushehr nuclear power plant", Likhachev said. "The situation in the area of the Bushehr NPP remains difficult.

"But fortunately, no strikes have been recorded either on the plant itself or on the construction site and the residential areas of the staff."

The suspension of construction is a blow to Russia as work on the plant was a key symbol of cooperation between the two repressive states.

In an earlier interview, Likhachev said: "There were explosions [miles] away. Obviously, these strikes were directed at specific Iranian military formations. Thankfully, nothing has yet arrived at the station...

"The [existing] reactor is running at capacity. It contains 72 tons of fuel, and another 210 tons of spent fuel - that's a huge mass of fissile material.

"A strike would certainly be a regional catastrophe.

"This is something all parties to the conflict must understand, regardless of their political affiliation."

Bushehr, approximately 745 miles south of Tehran, is Iran's only operating commercial nuclear power plant and is separate from the country's controversial enrichment facilities.