Would it be possible for a faction of the Soviet government to cause an intentional Chernobyl style disaster? The purpose would be to release large amounts of radiation over Europe or other unfriendly nations by finding a reactor with a vulnerable design near to the border with the proper wind and weather conditions to spread radiation mostly on enemy terrain? The disaster would be caused by assigning lower quality personnel to the nuclear plant and putting in a few special forces agents, in order to make it look like a pure accident.
Intentional Chernobyl as an attack?
- Thread starter Mosshadow
- Start date
Problem is, that the radiation spread in your own territory, unless you're literally building it half a mile from the Inter-German Border, is always going to be much, much greater then what you could possibly do to the West.
It also opens up a dangerous can of worms, because this might cause the US to get Ideas... like building Project PLUTO style drones and sending them flying over YOUR farmland.
It also opens up a dangerous can of worms, because this might cause the US to get Ideas... like building Project PLUTO style drones and sending them flying over YOUR farmland.
I do agree with it opening a dangerous can of worms but this one would unfortunately be the most dangerous can of worms since any ideas that come out of it would likely result in long term harm to every on both sides (The territory on both sides would see radioactive contamination regardless of the conditions) especially if it leads to the development of radiological weapons to be used in a actual war involving both sides over the areas that are not targeted in any nuclear strike or use them to deprive the enemy of the ability to sustain itself (Targeting it's food and water sources with such weapons). Another extremely dangerous precedent that unfortunately comes out of this is terrorist groups initiating such attacks with such weapons against any major cities source of water or it's logistical arteries (Major roads and/or Rail tracks) or both. It would be a real dangerous problem.
As a Soviet false-flag attack, almost no way. As part of a really nasty tit for tat with the West - say 3 Mile Island is found to have been partially sabotaged by a Soviet agent, then definitely possible in a nastier cold war.
BigBlueBox
Banned
That would be incredibly idiotic because the wind in Europe blows from west to east.
thatsbunkers
Banned
Maybe it could be a terrorist group. Pro independence or islamists from Afghanistan or Central Asia
That's what they did in OTL and without ulterior motives.
Things like that were inherent to the Soviet system.
How could such characters have come anywhere near Chernobyl?
There was also an important radar installation nearby and it's unlikely that anyone with such a background would have been granted an internal passport.