Ukraine’s nuclear power provider has accused Russia of “kidnapping” the head of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia plant.
The head of Energoatom, the state-owned company in charge of the plant, said on Saturday that Ihor Murashov was detained on his way from Europe’s largest nuclear plant to the town of Enerhodar around 16.00 local time (1500 CET) on Friday.
“He was taken out of the car, and with his eyes blindfolded he was driven in an unknown direction,” Petro Kotin wrote on the Telegram messaging app, adding there was no immediate word on Murashov’s fate.
“His detention by (Russia) jeopardises the safety of Ukraine and Europe’s largest nuclear power plant,” Kotin added, calling for Murashov’s immediate release.
Russia did not immediately acknowledge seizing the plant director.
The Zaporizhzhia plant has been a focal point of Russia’s seven-month invasion of Ukraine, as Moscow and Kyiv accuse each other of shelling the facility, risking a nuclear disaster.
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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for area around the plant to be demilitarised.