EU condemns Russia’s illegal seizure of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, calls to ‘reinforce IAEA presence'

The European External Action Service said on Oct. 8 that Russia must “fully withdraw its military forces and equipment and hand back control” of the nuclear plant to Ukraine. The statement called Russia’s seizure “legally null and void” and urged the International Atomic Energy Agency to strengthen its presence at the plant. On Oct. 7, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree claiming the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant a so-called Russian “state enterprise.”