Russia’s state nuclear company, Rosatom, evacuated 198 personnel from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant on Saturday following a projectile strike near the facility that killed one staff member and caused building damage, Russian news agencies report.
The plant, which hosts Russian personnel, has been a target amid escalating regional tensions.
The strike prompted Russia to condemn the attack as “evil” and call for an immediate halt to assaults on nuclear sites.
“We strongly condemn this evil deed, which resulted in loss of life,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. “Strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Bushehr nuclear power plant, must cease immediately.”
According to a diplomatic source cited by Israel’s Kan broadcaster, senior Israeli Defense Forces officials are coordinating with Moscow to ensure the safe passage of Russian nationals from the site.
The evacuations had reportedly been planned before the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the strike’s impact, which involved the death of a physical protection staff member, an Iranian national and shockwaves that damaged a building at the facility.
In a further development, Russia will ask the United States and Israel to ensure a temporary ceasefire during additional evacuations from Bushehr, RIA news agency reported. Rosatom chief
Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev said, “The travel routes will be communicated to the relevant authorities in Israel and the United States, and we will use all channels to request strict adherence to the ceasefire during the convoy’s movement.”
He added that a “final wave of evacuation” involving about 200 people is tentatively scheduled for next week.
The Bushehr plant, built with Russian expertise, remains a critical site for Iran’s nuclear program, where Rosatom staff continue working on additional reactor units.
While the International Atomic Energy Agency has reported no increase in radiation levels, it continues to urge caution, warning that attacks near nuclear facilities pose serious safety risks.
