A timely study of how nuclear power plants and the unpredictability of war make for a frightening cocktail.
Of the many awful stories to emerge from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, perhaps the most chilling are those involving nuclear power plants. Plokhy, a Harvard professor who has written about both Ukrainian history and nuclear issues throughout his long career, notes that the effects of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster continue and the area is still contaminated—although the facility is manned by several hundred personnel who have the unenviable job of monitoring and overseeing the reactors. The problem is that the Exclusion Zone constitutes the most direct route from Russia to Kyiv. When the Russians appeared, the outgunned Ukrainian guards and technicians surrendered, but once the invaders were in control, they did not seem to know what to do. Many of the Russian soldiers were unaware of the history of the place, although some had been told that the plant was manufacturing nuclear weapons. It was a tense time for everyone, but when the tide of war turned, the Russians were glad to leave the zone. Another crisis emerged when Russian forces attacked the Zaporizhia plant in the south. The Ukrainians fought and were eventually overwhelmed, but there were fears that the battle might have damaged the plant's safety mechanisms. Innovative repairs prevented any dangerous leaks, but it was a close call. Plokhy manages to cut through the fog of Russian disinformation to keep the complex story straight, and interviews with key figures on the Ukrainian side add a personal dimension. He calls for strict rules to protect nuclear facilities in times of conflict, although there is no guarantee that warring parties would abide.
Plokhy capably chronicles a disturbing tale, underlining how close the world came to another nuclear catastrophe.