Russia Completes Final Evacuation of Staff from Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Plant
Published on Reflecto News | World News | Nuclear Security & Geopolitics
Russia has begun the final wave of evacuations of its personnel from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, the country’s only operational nuclear facility, as concerns mount over the risk of a radiological disaster amid ongoing US-Israeli airstrikes . The head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom confirmed that 108 Russian employees have been evacuated, leaving just 20 personnel behind to maintain the facility’s critical safety systems .
“We began the final rotation at the Bushehr station. The situation is developing according to the worst-case scenario.” — Alexei Likhachev, Rosatom Director General
The Final Wave: 108 Evacuated, 20 Remain
The evacuation marks the culmination of a systematic drawdown of Russian personnel that began shortly after the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran was launched on February 28. According to Rosatom, the final rotation saw 108 employees depart the facility, leaving only a skeleton crew of 20 people—primarily top managers and personnel responsible for equipment safety—to maintain the plant .
Earlier phases of the evacuation saw hundreds of Russian specialists leave the site. A group of 175 Rosatom employees were flown from Yerevan, Armenia, to Moscow after crossing the Iranian-Armenian border . Prior to that, 198 personnel were transported by bus toward the border in the main phase of the evacuation .
| Evacuation Phase | Number Evacuated | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Initial evacuations | 400+ | Late March – Early April |
| Main phase | 198 | April 4, 2026 |
| Subsequent group | 175 | April 6, 2026 |
| Final wave | 108 | April 13, 2026 |
| Remaining staff | 20 | Current |
Sources: Rosatom, TASS, Xinhua, The New Arab
Why Russia Is Pulling Its Personnel
The decision to evacuate stems from repeated attacks near the Bushehr facility. According to Iranian officials and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the area around the plant has been struck at least four times since the war began .
On April 4, a strike near the facility killed an Iranian security guard. Rosatom confirmed that the attack occurred in the plant’s “protection circuit” area, with shrapnel and blast waves affecting one of the facility’s buildings . While the reactor itself has not been damaged, and no increase in radiation levels has been reported, the proximity of the strikes has raised serious concerns .
Likhachev has been blunt about the deteriorating situation. He told Russian media that “the situation around the nuclear power plant is developing according to the worst-case scenario” and that the risk of a nuclear accident is “increasing daily” .
The IAEA has expressed “deep concern” over the attacks and called for “maximum military restraint” to avoid a nuclear accident . The UN nuclear watchdog noted that nuclear power plant sites and nearby areas “must never be attacked.”
The Nuclear Material at Risk
The Bushehr plant houses significant quantities of nuclear material, making the repeated attacks particularly alarming to nuclear safety experts.
| Material | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Nuclear fuel | 72 metric tons |
| Spent fuel | 210 metric tons |
| Reactor capacity | 1,000 megawatts (gross) |
Source: The Moscow Times
The plant, located approximately 17 kilometers southeast of the city of Bushehr in southern Iran, was built with Russian assistance and connected to Iran’s national grid in September 2011 . It is Iran’s only operational nuclear power facility. Rosatom was also in the process of building two new reactors at the site when the war broke out .
Russia’s Warning: ‘More Destructive Than Chernobyl’
Moscow has repeatedly warned that continued attacks near the facility could trigger a radiological disaster with catastrophic consequences for the region.
“Such actions risk a radiological disaster more devastating than Chernobyl.” — Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov
The warning references the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, widely considered the worst nuclear disaster in history. A similar event at Bushehr would have devastating consequences for Iran, Gulf Arab states, and the broader region—potentially contaminating water supplies, agricultural land, and densely populated urban centers.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has strongly condemned the attacks near the plant and called for an immediate halt to hostilities in the vicinity .
Nuclear Fuel as a Diplomatic Lever
As Russia withdraws its personnel, the Kremlin has made a significant diplomatic offer. Moscow has proposed taking custody of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile as part of any future peace deal with the United States .
“This proposal was voiced by President Putin in contacts with both the United States and regional states. The offer still stands, but has not been acted upon.” — Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin Spokesman
The offer is significant. Russia possesses the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear weapons and has the technical expertise and infrastructure to safely store enriched uranium. Accepting such an arrangement would remove Iran’s nuclear material from the country—addressing a key US demand—while potentially preserving Iran’s ability to reclaim it under agreed conditions.
However, the proposal has not yet been acted upon, with the US and Iran remaining deadlocked over broader issues including the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program, and support for regional proxies .
The Broader Context: A Nuclear Plant in a War Zone
The evacuation of Russian personnel highlights the extraordinary danger of operating a nuclear facility in an active war zone. The Bushehr plant has become a flashpoint not only for its strategic value but for the catastrophic risk it poses to the region.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has drawn a direct comparison to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine, which came under fire during the Russia-Ukraine war. “Remember the Western outrage about hostilities near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine?” Araghchi wrote on social media. “Israel-U.S. have bombed our Bushehr plant four times now” .
The comparison is apt. Both facilities have been caught in the crossfire of major conflicts, and both have prompted urgent warnings from the IAEA about the risk of nuclear accidents. But while the world rallied to protect Zaporizhzhia, Bushehr has received far less attention—even as the risk of a catastrophic release of radiation grows with each passing day.
What Comes Next
With only 20 Russian personnel remaining at Bushehr, the facility is operating with a skeleton crew. Rosatom has indicated that these remaining staff are volunteers—top managers and equipment safety specialists who have chosen to stay .
However, the sustainability of this arrangement is questionable. If the security situation continues to deteriorate, Russia may decide to withdraw even these remaining personnel—potentially leaving the plant without the technical expertise needed to maintain its critical safety systems.
The IAEA continues to monitor the situation, but inspectors have limited access to the site amid the ongoing conflict. The agency has not yet issued a formal assessment of whether the plant can be operated safely with such a reduced Russian presence.
For now, the plant remains operational—but the margin of safety is shrinking. As Likhachev put it, the situation is “developing according to the worst-case scenario” . And with US-Iran tensions escalating, the risk of a catastrophic nuclear accident may be higher than at any point since the war began.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why is Russia evacuating its personnel from the Bushehr nuclear plant?
Russia is evacuating due to repeated attacks near the facility. The area around the plant has been struck at least four times since the war began on February 28, and Rosatom has warned that the risk of a nuclear accident is “increasing daily” .
2. How many Russian personnel remain at the plant?
After the final wave of evacuations, only 20 Russian personnel remain at Bushehr—primarily top managers and equipment safety specialists .
3. Has the Bushehr plant been damaged by the attacks?
The reactor itself has not been damaged, and no increase in radiation levels has been reported. However, a security guard was killed in an attack on April 4, and one of the plant’s buildings was affected by blast waves and shrapnel .
4. What is the risk of a nuclear accident?
Russia has warned that continued attacks near the facility could trigger a “radiological disaster more devastating than Chernobyl” . The IAEA has expressed “deep concern” and called for “maximum military restraint” .
5. What is Russia’s offer regarding Iran’s enriched uranium?
The Kremlin has offered to take custody of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile as part of a future peace deal. The offer has been made to both the US and regional states but has not yet been acted upon .
6. How many times has the plant been attacked?
Iranian officials have reported that the area around the plant has been struck at least four times during the current war .
Stay informed with Reflecto News – Your trusted source for breaking nuclear security and geopolitical intelligence. Subscribe for real-time updates on the Bushehr nuclear crisis, US-Iran tensions, and global energy security.