No nuclear or radiation threat unless missile hits power unit directly - nuclear expert

Ludwig Lytvynsky, an expert in nuclear energy, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, expressed this opinion on Espreso.

"As long as the missile does not hit the power unit directly, there is no nuclear or radiation threat, such as a catastrophe. There may be trouble, networks may be affected, there may even be a blackout, unfortunately. But nevertheless, as long as there is no missile attack directly on the power unit, nothing, let's say, extremely serious, will happen either," he said.

As for whether he believes Russia is capable of using non-conventional weapons, Ludwig Lytvynsky answered rather cautiously.

"A missile is also a non-conventional weapon, if we do not say that it can carry a nuclear warhead, then it should be classified as a non-conventional weapon," the nuclear energy expert noted.

• On the morning of November 17, Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine. It used attack drones, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles for a combined attack. Energy facilities in a number of regions came under attack. The Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down 144 air targets, including 102 missiles and 42 UAVs.

Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile: what is known

On the morning of November 21, the Russian army launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, a Kinzhal, and a Kh-101 at Ukrainian territory. Ukraine's Air Defense Forces destroyed 6 enemy targets.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin said that on November 21, Russia tested an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile during an attack on Ukraine's Dnipro. He added that Moscow “will respond to escalation.”

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that Russia has taken the second step toward escalation with the use of a new ballistic missile, calling the first the involvement of the DPRK military.

On the evening of November 21, the Foreign Ministry responded to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's statement about the use of the Oreshnik ballistic missile to strike Ukraine.

According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, Russia fired a Kedr ballistic missile with 36 submunitions at Dnipro. Earlier, Ukraine speculated that Russia had used the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile, while dictator Vladimir Putin claimed that it had used the Oreshnik medium-range missile.