The Russian-appointed "General Director" of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Yuri Chernichuk, is pressuring Ukrainian plant workers who have refused to sign contracts with Russia's state nuclear operator to activate the fourth energy block, Energoatom reported on Telegram.
"The station personnel refuse to carry out the criminal order, which directly violates the license for operation issued by the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU), " Energoatom stated.
According to Ukraine's nuclear company, the operational staff brought in from Russia lacks the necessary expertise to work in the plant. Yuri Chernichuk is trying to reconcile this by coercing Ukrainian specialists to work with Russian forces.
Ukrainian personnel who violate SNRIU license conditions could lose their personal licenses.
Over the past week, about 30 licensed personnel of the ZNPP left Enerhodar, the town that hosts the power plant, for Ukrainian-controlled territory.
The Zaporizhzhia plant has been under Russian occupation since March, 2022. It has experienced multiple outages and disruption, potentially risking nuclear disaster.
Alexander Khrebet
(Updated: )
