“The staff of Zaporizhzhia NPP is being tortured” – Minister of Energy of Ukraine

On the 4th of March, Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the biggest one in Europe, situated in a city of Energodar, following the heavy battles, was taken over by the Russian Armed Forces. The shelling of the nuclear power plant site by the Russian soldiers resulted in the damage of the power unit #6. The staff have been taken as hostages by the Russian soldiers.

On the 7th of March, following the examination of the generation transformer of the unit #6 the decision was made to provide urgent repairs.

The automated radiation monitoring system of the NPP in the monitoring and the sanitary protection areas operate as normal. Generally, two power units are on, one unit is still under repair, the others shut down.

On the 8th of March, Herman Halushchenko, Minister of Energy of Ukraine, published an announcement mentioning that the staff of Zaporizhzhia NPP ‘is being tortured’. The occupiers forced the staff to record a video message for the purpose of the Russian propaganda.

“Russia’s propaganda machine aims to create one more fake for its citizens and the international community in an attempt to justify its crimes,” Minister said in a statement published on Facebook.

“We call our international partners to take all measures to withdraw the Russian occupation forces from captured nuclear facilities…”

The Minister added there are 500 Russian soldiers and 50 pieces of heavy military equipment inside the station – a high-risky condition for the nuclear safety of Europe. The responsibility for possible nuclear disaster will lie on Russia only.

Mr Halushchenko also called the international community to forbid any military operations nearby nuclear power plants.

“If a breakdown happens, Europeans will be forced to switch the comfort of their homes to radiation shelters.”