Russian Protest Following Israeli Bombing Near Civilian Nuclear Facility in Iran

SadaNews - Russia protested to Israel last weekend following an attack launched by the latter near the residences of Russian experts in Bushehr. The protest was delivered via an official message from the Russian mission in Israel. Russia condemned the Israeli attacks on locations near where Russian experts are present, without specifying whether the Israeli strike directly targeted their residences or caused damage to property. However, the Russian protest emphasized the Israeli bombing near the experts' location, according to a report published today, Sunday, by the newspaper "Maariv," citing sources familiar with the details of the protest. The site targeted by Israel in Bushehr is a nuclear power plant, the only one of its kind in Iran, where Russian experts and engineers have been working permanently for years. The newspaper added that Russia views any military action near Bushehr as concerning a prominent Russian resource rather than merely an Iranian interest. It pointed out that since the war was launched against Iran, the issue of the security of Russian experts has become very sensitive. Russia had previously announced that it evacuated a portion of its workers and their families from Iran, but clarified that hundreds of its experts still remain in Bushehr. Russia has slowed down operations at the power plant and suspended part of it, but Russian experts are still present at the site. Israel bombed this location despite it being a civilian power plant, unlike other Iranian nuclear facilities, and it operates with Russian fuel and international oversight. Targeting it directly could have significant environmental and regional consequences, and thus Russia, along with the international community, regards it as an extremely sensitive facility. However, this is not the first time that Bushehr has become a point of tension between Israel and Russia. Russia had previously emphasized the importance of not targeting its experts following reports of military operations there.