Even though the head of Ukraine’s nuclear power business stated he would take over operations of the plant, which is Europe’s biggest nuclear facility, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree on Wednesday claiming ownership of the troubled Zaporizhzhia power plant.
Putin had just approved measures annexing the Zaporizhzhia region hours before the announcement was made. Energoatom CEO Petro Kotin said earlier today that he will be directing operations at the Russian-owned facility from Kyiv. Putin’s order, the firm said, “meaningless and totally ridiculous.
A lot of people all throughout the world are worried about this plant. International nuclear specialists have warned that attacks by both sides have damaged components of the facility and might eventually lead to a disaster.
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi tweeted, “The necessity for a Nuclear Safety and Security Protection Zone (NSSPZ) surrounding #Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant is now more critical than ever.”
Russian soldiers, who hold the factory as of this writing, seized the Ukrainian director last Friday and released him this week. Ukrainian personnel are still maintaining the facility despite the fact that it has not produced any electricity for the last month.
Putin signed legislation on Wednesday ratifying the annexation of four Ukraine districts, including two that make up the important Donbas area he has targeted since the conflict started, despite world condemnation and the problems of his forces.
“The people of Luhansk and Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia become our citizens forever, and I want the Kyiv authorities and their actual masters in the West to hear me so that everyone remembers this, Putin stated.
Russia’s documentation is hazy on the exact borders of the territory it is claiming, but Russian media reports that Putin seized around 43,000 square miles. Ukraine, which is approximately the size of Texas, claims that 15 percent of its land was seized.
According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov’s comments to the press, “some lands will be regained,” and “we will keep discussing citizens who would be glad to join Russia.”
Most of the world does not recognize the annexations, and Ukrainian troops have retaken some of the region in recent weeks.
Andriy Yermak, the director of the Ukraine President’s Office, remarked on Telegram, “The worthless decisions of the terrorist nation are not worth the paper they are signed on.”