Energoatom, the operator of Ukrainian nuclear power plants, has called for stronger pressure on the aggressor state, Russia, to demilitarize and de-occupy Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and the city of Enerhodar, and urged not to fall for Russian information manipulations.
Energoatom made the statement after Russian media reported the death, as a result of shelling, of Oleksandr Yakovlev, who is listed as chief engineer of the occupation administration of Zaporizhia NPP.
“Zaporizhia NPP was and remains a Ukrainian nuclear facility. Its only lawful operator is Energoatom, and any appointments made by the occupation authorities are legally null and void and have no legal consequences […] This person [Oleksandr Yakovlev] has never been the legitimate chief engineer of Zaporizhia NPP. The only lawful chief engineer of the plant is Denys Martynenko,” Energoatom said in a statement on Telegram on Friday.
The NPP operator said the return of Zaporizhia NPP to full Ukrainian control is the only guarantee of restoring nuclear and radiation safety in Ukraine and Europe.
According to the statement, Russia continues to use the temporarily occupied Zaporizhia NPP not only as an instrument of nuclear blackmail, but also as a platform for information manipulation, trying to create the illusion of lawful management of the Ukrainian nuclear facility.
“Any statements or reports concerning the activities of Zaporizhia NPP administration created by the occupiers must be viewed exclusively through the prism of the fact that the plant is under illegal occupation, and all appointments made by the aggressor state are legally null and void,” Energoatom said.
It also stressed that Russia had systematically pushed lawful Ukrainian personnel out of the plant, removing the last competent Energoatom employees, including licensed specialists who ensured the safe operation of the nuclear facility, from work in February 2024.
Energoatom said that before the occupation, about 11,000 highly qualified Ukrainian nuclear workers had worked at Zaporizhia NPP, ensuring for decades the safe operation of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. Instead, according to the Ukrainian operator, Rosatom, lacking a sufficient number of trained specialists, staffed the occupied plant with employees who did not have the proper education, experience working at nuclear facilities or the necessary professional competencies.
“For the nuclear industry, such a staffing policy is unacceptable and poses an additional threat to nuclear and radiation safety,” Energoatom said.
The company assured that despite all attempts by the occupiers to deprive Zaporizhia NPP of its lawful personnel, it had managed to preserve the plant’s unique human resources potential. After the de-occupation of Zaporizhia NPP, these Ukrainian nuclear workers will be ready to return to the plant immediately and ensure its safe operation under the management of the only lawful operator, Energoatom.
Energoatom also drew attention to the fact that the IAEA Board of Governors and General Conference have repeatedly demanded that Russia stop its illegal management of Zaporizhia NPP, withdraw military and other personnel from the plant and return the facility to the control of Ukraine’s competent authorities.
“Russia is deliberately ignoring these decisions, continuing to violate international law and creating unprecedented risks to nuclear safety,” Energoatom said.
As reported, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry rejected Russia’s accusations regarding Ukraine’s alleged involvement in the death from shelling of the so-called chief engineer of Zaporizhia NPP, Oleksandr Yakovlev, and his driver in a drone strike near the plant.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stressed the absence of “any independent confirmation of the Russian version or evidence of Ukraine’s involvement,” adding that “information from Russian occupation structures cannot be considered reliable.”
Zaporizhia NPP, the largest in Europe, has been occupied by Russia since March 4, 2022. Since September of that year, it has not generated electricity. Zaporizhia NPP receives electricity from Ukraine’s integrated power system to meet its own needs.
As Energoatom acting CEO Pavlo Kovtoniuk said, throughout all the years of the occupation of Zaporizhia NPP, Ukraine has been supplying electricity for the plant’s own needs, amounting to 40-50 MW per hour.
