Of all the horrors of Ukraine's war, perhaps the most catastrophic threat is a nuclear explosion at Europe's largest nuclear plant, Zaporizhia. The plant is likely to be in the midst of heavy fighting as Ukraine launches its counteroffensive against Russia.
There are 2200,<> tons of nuclear material, including hundreds of tons of spent fuel rods that must be constantly cooled. If the electricity goes out, the pumps cannot circulate cooling water, and these rods will heat up and explode.