Russia is using “nuclear intimidation” because it “cannot win on the battlefield”, an expert told Sky News. Speaking to Samantha Washington, senior adviser at Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia programme, Keir Giles, said it was “very dangerous” to decommission the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The factory has come under heavy shelling in recent weeks, with Ukraine and Russia blaming each other for the attacks. “Any actions by Russia around this nuclear power station are deeply irresponsible,” added Mr Giles. “Let’s not forget that it’s not the first time we’ve seen this happen, when Russia first invaded Ukraine, they moved into the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and started digging trenches in irradiated soil and doing other dangerous things.” , he said. “There’s a pattern here, and of course the bigger picture is that Russia realizes it can’t win on the battlefield the way it wanted to, so it’s looking for other ways to win this war.” He explained that this includes putting pressure on Ukraine’s supporters in the West, “blackmailing through energy prices” and through food supplies and using “nuclear intimidation”.
