Ukraine is reportedly just months away from having the capability to build a nuclear bomb that could cause devastation similar to the bombing of Nagasaki, with the potential to strike Russian cities, according to top officials. The threat has emerged in the context of concerns that Ukraine’s military support from the United States may diminish, especially with the potential shift in leadership under Donald Trump’s incoming administration. A briefing note prepared for Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense suggests that the country is technologically equipped to quickly develop a basic nuclear weapon.
The proposed bomb, similar in design to the American “Fat Man” plutonium bomb, which played a pivotal role in ending World War II, is said to be relatively easy to assemble. Ukrainian officials speculate that critical components for such a weapon could be sourced from the country’s existing nuclear energy infrastructure, particularly by repurposing plutonium from spent fuel rods. Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia power plant, the largest in Europe, along with other reactors, may hold enough material for the construction of a rudimentary nuclear device.
Experts claim that, unlike the vast resources the United States required for the Manhattan Project, Ukraine could potentially produce a nuclear bomb with far fewer materials. A report by Oleksii Yizhak, head of Ukraine’s National Institute for Strategic Studies, estimates that the country has access to up to seven tonnes of plutonium. While the idea of Ukraine pursuing the “nuclear option” remains speculative, it has raised significant concerns regarding the potential for further escalation in the conflict with Russia, especially if foreign military aid dwindles.
