Russia accused of ‘kidnapping’ head of Ukraine nuclear plant

Russian forces stopped Ihor Murashov’s car, blindfolded him and then took him to an undisclosed location, Ukrainian state nuclear company Energoatom says

Murashov’s detention jeopardises safety of Ukraine and Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, Energoatom president adds

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The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. Photo: Zuma Press/TNS

Published: 6:00pm, 1 Oct 2022

Ukraine’s nuclear power provider accused Russia on Saturday of “kidnapping” the head of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, a facility now occupied by Russian troops and located in a region of Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved to annex illegally.

Russian forces seized the director-general of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Ihor Murashov, around 4pm local time on Friday, Ukrainian state nuclear company Energoatom said. That was just hours after Putin, in a sharp escalation of his war, signed treaties to absorb Moscow-controlled Ukrainian territory into Russia.

Energoatom said Russian troops stopped Murashov’s car, blindfolded him and then took him to an undisclosed location.

A Ukrainian serviceman examines a destroyed Russian Uragan MLRS near the village of Sosnove in Donetsk region on Friday amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Photo: AFP

“His detention by (Russia) jeopardises the safety of Ukraine and Europe’s largest nuclear power plant,” said Energoatom president Petro Kotin.

Kotin demanded that Russia immediately release Murashov.

Russia did not immediately acknowledge seizing the plant director. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has staff at the plant, said it was seeking information about Murashov’s capture.

“We have contacted Russian authorities and are requesting clarifications,” a spokesperson for the IAEA, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, said on Saturday.

The Zaporizhzhia plant repeatedly has been caught in the crossfire of the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian technicians continued running it after Russian troops seized the power station. The plant’s last reactor was shut down in September amid ongoing shelling near the facility.