Head of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant detained by the Russians
Ukraine’s state nuclear regulator Enerhoatum says Russian troops have detained the director of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant.
read 2 min Oct 1, 20226:32 pm GMT+5:30Last updated an hour ago
Russian patrol detains head of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant
Reuters
A soldier with a Russian flag on his uniform stands near the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant during the Ukraine-Russia conflict outside the Russian-controlled city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhya region of Ukraine on August 4, 2022. Reuters / Alexander Ermochenko / File photo.
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KYIV, Oct 1 (Reuters) – A Russian patrol has detained the director general of Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, the state-owned company in charge of the plant said on Saturday, and the United Nations nuclear watchdog said that Russia had confirmed the move.
Ihor Murashov was detained on his way to the city of Enerhodar from Europe’s largest nuclear plant around 4 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday, Petro Kotin, the head of state-owned Energoatom, said in a statement.
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“He was pulled out of the car and blindfolded and driven in an unknown direction,” Kotin wrote on the Telegram messaging app. There was no immediate word on Murashov’s fate.
Asked for comment by Reuters, an IAEA spokesman said: “We have contacted the Russian authorities and are requesting clarification.” Later on Saturday the IAEA said it had been informed by Russian authorities that Murashov was being held for questioning.
“The IAEA sought an explanation from the Russian authorities and was informed that the Director General of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant was temporarily detained for answering questions,” a spokesman elaborated.
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Russia has not publicly commented on the issue.
Kotin said he had appealed to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi to take “all possible immediate action to free Murashov immediately”.
It said Ihor Murashov was apprehended when his car was on its way to the nearby town of Enerhodar at around 16:00 local time on Friday.
He was then blindfolded and taken to an undisclosed location, Enerhotem says.
Russia has not commented. Moscow seized Europe’s largest nuclear plant in March and held its Ukrainian employees.
Both Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly accused each other of shelling the plant, amid global concerns that it could lead to a major radiation event in Europe.
In a statement published on Saturday, Enerhoatom president Petro Kotin said Mr Murashov bears “the main and special responsibility for the nuclear and radiation safety” of the nuclear plant.
He said Friday’s detention “endangers the safety of operation of Ukraine’s and Europe’s largest nuclear power plant”.
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Mr Kotin appealed to the International Atomic Energy Agency to demand the immediate release of the plant’s chief, accusing Russia of “nuclear terrorism”.
The six-reactor Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is located near Enerhodar in the occupied part of Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region.
Ukraine says Russian troops are using the station as a military base and that employees are being held at gunpoint.
Moscow denies the claim.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of the Zaporizhzhya, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk regions – a move widely condemned by Ukraine and the West.
Moscow does not have complete control over any of the four regions east and south of Ukraine.
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Head of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant detained by the Russians
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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by News East India staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
