On October 5, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree designating the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – Russia’s “federal property.”
The territory around the nuclear plant has been occupied by Russian troops since March 4, 2022. The ZNPP’s director on site, Ihor Murashev, was detained by Russian forces on October 1. Two days after, he was released, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, called on the international community to impose new sanctions on Russia, break off all ties, or refuse to build any partnerships with Russia in the nuclear industry and stop all construction of nuclear facilities with the participation of Russia in response to the illegal seizure of the plant.
Ukrainian state nuclear company Energoatom has also reacted to Putin’s decree and called it “worthless” and “absurd”. The company stressed that “Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant will continue to operate in Ukraine – in accordance with Ukrainian legislation, within the Ukrainian energy system, and Energoatom.”
