Radioactive substances could be smuggled out of Ukraine during invasion turmoil and end up being used in ‘dirty bombs’ on UK streets if border controls are not stepped up across NATO countries, nuclear expert warns

Radioactive material could be smuggled out of Ukraine’s besieged nuclear power plants and eventually used to create “dirty bombs” for terrorist attacks in Britain unless border security in NATO territory is tightened, an atomic energy expert has warned.

Dr Bahram Ghiassi, a nuclear scientist, has warned that “unprecedented” air attacks by Russian soldiers on Ukrainian nuclear power plants during the war have “severely” undermined the security of the sites.

Dr Ghiassi, a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society think tank, said this increases the risk of terrorists, proxy groups acting on behalf of “hostile states” and organized crime syndicates gaining access to radioactive materials.

He warned that terrorists could then smuggle nuclear materials across Europe into the UK, where they could be used for assassinations or to create radioactive “dirty bombs” for terrorist attacks in major cities such as London.

“Such devices could be used in attacks on crowded public events and transport hubs in London and other major cities,” Dr Ghiassi said in a report exclusively published by MailOnline.

He warned that with 45,000 migrants entering the UK illegally in 2022, there was a real risk that radioactive substances could “easily be smuggled into the UK for “malicious activities”, including murder and the creation of “dirty bombs”.

A Russian soldier guards the territory of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant after seizing control of the nuclear power plant

A worker in a protective suit and gas mask during a command post exercise to practice actions in the event of an accident at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.

Dr Ghiassi called on the UK and European countries to strengthen their borders to prevent illegal transnational trafficking of radioactive substances and “protect their national security”.

Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and seized one of the world’s largest nuclear power plants, the world has watched with bated breath to see whether a nuclear disaster might occur.

Since Russian troops took control of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, Kyiv and Moscow have exchanged blame for shelling the facility and accused each other of nuclear terrorism.

Regular power outages as a result of the attacks made it impossible to operate the plant safely, and its six reactors were shut down to minimize the threat of disaster.

But alarmingly, more than 3,000 spent nuclear fuel rods containing highly radioactive substances and plutonium are stored in metal containers inside towers in Zaporozhye that are vulnerable to air attack.

Dr. Ghiassi said air attacks on the nuclear plant and the damage they caused could make it easier for terrorists or proxy groups acting on behalf of hostile states to illegally acquire radioactive substances and create nuclear “dirty bombs.”

Such a device – long a nightmare for counter-terrorism experts – combines conventional explosives with nuclear material to disperse a deadly radioactive plume.

Those near the explosion would have died instantly, while survivors would have been terrified and tried to escape the fallout, knowing that the material could cause serious illnesses such as cancer.

“These radioactive substances can be smuggled across national borders, thereby posing serious security risks to Ukraine and countries beyond, including the UK,” Dr Ghiassi says, adding that terrorists could use drones to transport nuclear materials.

“With 45,000 migrants entering the UK illegally in 2022, it is likely that gram quantities of radioactive substances could easily be smuggled into the UK for malicious activities,” he added.

Dr Ghiassi warned that unless Britain and Europe tightened their borders, terrorists could kill their enemies and detonate dirty bombs in major cities across the continent.

“Land and sea borders and crossings in the UK and Europe NATO countries need to be strengthened to mitigate and prevent illicit transnational trafficking of radioactive substances and radioactive sources, thereby protecting their national security,” said Dr. Ghiassi.

He added: “Radiation detectors are now installed at airports, border crossings and sea crossings. However, it is necessary to consider the possibility of their placement in other geographical locations in order to increase the effectiveness of the prevention and detection of illicit trafficking in radioactive substances.”

Dirty bombs have long been feared as a potential terrorist weapon because their main purpose is to sow panic, confusion and anxiety by releasing radioactive dust and smoke into the atmosphere.

A local resident walks past a private home damaged by a Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday.

From the very beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia, without providing evidence, accused Ukraine that Kyiv might be planning to use a “dirty bomb” in the war.

In response, Kyiv and its Western allies say the accusations are untrue and that the idea of ​​Ukraine poisoning its own territory is patently absurd. They say Moscow could make these accusations to justify its own escalation.

Dirty bombs are relatively primitive and inaccurate weapons. They are much easier and cheaper to build than a nuclear device, and are also less lethal. Indeed, “dirty bombs” do not create a nuclear explosion that destroys cities, but are designed to spread toxic waste.

Security experts have long worried about them as a form of terrorist weapon that would be used in cities to cause chaos among civilians.

“They’re more of a psychological weapon,” said Scott Rockner, vice president of the nuclear materials security program at The Nuclear Threat Initiative. “When you’re trying to scare people, to intimidate them, this is the kind of weapon you would use.”

Radioactive dust and smoke can travel far and is dangerous if inhaled near the epicenter of an explosion. The radioactive cloud will likely spread to several streets, Rocker said.

But as radioactive material spreads through the atmosphere, it becomes less concentrated and less harmful.

Key factors in radiation exposure are the type of radiation, the duration of exposure, and whether the radiation was absorbed through the skin, by inhalation, or by ingestion.

The economic damage can be enormous due to the need to evacuate urban areas or even abandon entire cities.