Russia reducing personnel at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant - Ukrainian intelligence
Reuters
Published Jun 30, 2023 03:53AM ET
KYIV (Reuters) - Russia is gradually reducing the number of personnel at the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in southern Ukraine, Ukraine's military intelligence agency said on Friday.
It did not say why some people had left and Reuters could not independently verify the information. Russia, which has occupied the plant since March 2022, did not immediately comment on the assertion.
Kyiv accused Russia this month of planning a "terrorist" attack at the nuclear plant involving the release of radiation. Moscow denied the accusation.
"According to the latest data, the occupation contingent is gradually leaving the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant," Main Directorate of Intelligence at the Ministry of Defence (GUR) said on the Telegram messaging app.
GUR said that among the first to leave the nuclear power station were three employees of Russian state nuclear firm Rosatom who had been "in charge of the Russians' activities".
It said Ukrainian employees who have signed a contract with Rosatom had also been advised to depart.
Employees should leave by July 5, it said, and preferably head for the Crimea peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014.
GUR said the number of military patrols was also gradually decreasing on the plant's vast territory and in the nearby city of Enerhodar, and personnel remaining at the plant had been told to blame Ukraine "in case of any emergency situations".
Ukraine conducted nuclear disaster response drills on Thursday in the vicinity of the plant.
Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of shelling the vast complex at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, Europe's largest.
Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union, suffered the world's worst nuclear accident in 1986 at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.