The devastation caused by the deliberate destruction of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has the potential to be far worse than that brought on by the atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, a nuclear security knowledgeable has warned.

Yuriy Kostenko, Ukraine’s former Minister for Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety, was talking days after Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of planting “objects resembling explosives” on the roof of the ability, which they seized within the early levels of the warfare.

Mr Kostenko mentioned solely the General Staff of the Russian Armed forces might say for sure whether or not it had positioned mines on the constructing.

However, he added: “Information about the mining of the ZNPP was constantly received, as well as information about the mining of the Kakhovka HPP.

“I know about it from the reports of ZNPP employees. In addition, IAEA observers also indicated the possibility of mining the ZNPP.”

He continued: “Russia is holding a nuclear plant hostage, the explosion of which could lead to far more dramatic consequences than the use of nuclear weapons in Japan before the end of World War II.

Asked to speculate on Putin’s motives, Mr Kostenko suggested it needed to be viewed against a backdrop of haphazard decisions dating all the way back to the invasion of February 24, 2022.

He explained: “Against the background of the total failure of the so-called special military operation, the top political and military leadership of Russia has no idea what is their next step.

“This is confirmed by the events at the ZNPP, where the invaders begin preparations for a major accident, which is one of the elements of a nuclear war.

“The draining of the Kakhovka Reservoir and the blowing up of the HPP dam also indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin is raising nuclear stakes.”

As for the harm such an explosion would set off, Mr Kostenko, who holds a PhD from Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University, mentioned it trusted the extent of the destruction of reactor cooling programs and spent nuclear gasoline storage amenities.

He added: “The worst scenario is the explosion of six reactors and the spread of radioactive isotopes outside of Ukraine.

“In fact, this is the spread of Russian aggression to NATO Member States.”

Mr Kostenko emphasised: “A nuclear explosion at this nuclear power plant is not even comparable to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

“This is a much more terrible and large-scale nuclear accident, which can lead to unpredictable consequences in the conditions of such a war.

“None of the analysts will undertake to assess what and how to do when active hostilities are taking place on the territory of Zaporizhzhia region and suddenly a reactor or spent nuclear fuel storage facility explodes.”

Citing the most recent intelligence stories, Mr Zelensky on Tuesday alleged that Russian troops had positioned “objects resembling explosives” on high of a number of energy models to “simulate” an assault as a part of a false flag operation.

The “foreign objects” have been positioned on the roof of the plant’s third and fourth energy models, the General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces mentioned in an announcement.

Wrapping up a four-day go to to Japan, Rafael Mariano Grossi , Director General of the International Atomic Energy Association, mentioned his company was making progress on entry to Zaporizhzhia, however there had been “some limitations”.

He added: “It's like a conversation and I'm pushing to get as much access as possible.”

Referring to the rooftops, he mentioned: “I’m optimistic that we are going to be able to go up and see.”