Russian Official Threatens 'Simultaneous' Attacks On Europe's Nuclear Facilities Over Unfounded Rumors

A high-ranking Russian official has threatened to bomb nuclear facilities across Europe over unfounded rumors that Ukraine attempted to attack two locations in Russia.

In a post on his Telegram channel, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and former prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, threatened to attack nuclear power plants in Ukraine and across Eastern Europe after rumors claimed Ukrainian military forces tried to attack the Desnogorsk nuclear power plant in Russia's Smolensk Oblast and a military airfield in Kaluga Oblast using 5B28 or British Storm Shadow missiles.

"If an attempt to attack the Smolensk (Desnogorsk) NPP with NATO missiles is confirmed, it is necessary to consider the scenario of a simultaneous Russian strike on the South Ukrainian NPP, the Rivne NPP and the Khmelnytsky NPP, as well as on nuclear facilities in Eastern Europe," Medvedev wrote in the post, as translated via Google Translate.

"There is nothing to be ashamed of here."

The rumor about the alleged attack was reported Sunday evening by the propaganda Telegram channel Mash. No local authority in the Smolensk and Kaluga regions reported any incidents concerning Ukrainian missiles.

However, Bryank region governor Alexander Bogomaz claimed two missiles were launched by Ukraine's Armed forces and shot down over the region. He noted that there were no casualties reported in the incident.

"Today, the air defense forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation shot down two missiles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As a result of the fall of one of the rockets, a sawmill in the village of Bytosh was completely destroyed," Bogomaz said.

The International Business Times could not independently confirm the rumors of Ukraine attacking the Smolensk power plant and a Russian military airfield. Ukraine has also not yet publicly commented on the attacks.

The rumors come after Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed Ukraine fired over 100 artillery shells at the districts of Belgorodsky, Borisovsky, Valuysky, Krasnoyaruzhsky and Shebekinsk, wounding two people. He also added that the shelling damaged a private house, a local store and a car. Another vehicle was also destroyed after it caught fire.

Ukrainian officials have also yet to comment on the alleged shelling in the Belgorod region.