Kremlin Warning

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov emphasizes that even the mere consideration of direct military support for Israel by the U.S. could "radically destabilize the entire most unequivocal warnings yet to the United States, cautioning that any U.S. military intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict would be "an extremely dangerous step" and could unleash "truly unpredictable negative consequences".

- 

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov emphasized that even the mere consideration of direct military support for Israel by the U.S. could "radically destabilize the entire situation". Meanwhile, spokesperson Maria Zakharova labeled Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites illegal and warned that the world was "millimetres" from a nuclear disaster.

These warnings reflect Moscow's broader strategy: exerting diplomatic pressure to dissuade Western powers from deepening military involvement, especially given the risk of a broader international confrontation.

RUSSIA'S PRESENCE AT BUSHEHR Central to Russia's concern is the Bushehr nuclear power plant—Iran's only operating nuclear facility—which was built and is still maintained by Rosatom. Russia employs hundreds of specialists there. Alexei Likhachev, Rosatom's head, warned that an Israeli strike on the plant could cause a "Chernobyl-style catastrophe". In response, Russia evacuated some staff but kept its core personnel in place and said it could evacuate all specialists on short notice.