Enerhodar’s Russian-installed military and civilian administration has made it clear through a statement on Monday that there is no plan of any withdrawal of Russian forces from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The statement read, “ The media are actively spreading fake news that Russia is allegedly planning to withdraw from Enerhodar and leave the nuclear plant.” There were reports from Ukrainian media sources which talked about the probability of Russia vacating the NPP.
The Zaporizhzhia NPP, which was put into operation in 1985, is the largest nuclear power plant of its kind in Europe. VVER-1000 V-320 water-cooled and water-moderated reactors containing Uranium 235 has a half-life of more than 700 million years. On March 4 2022, Russia seized control of the facility and Vladimir Putin signed a decree on October 5 to formalize Russian control over the plant.
The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has repeatedly expressed concerns over the shelling of the plant. Amid fears the conflict could cause a nuclear accident, the IAEA has proposed the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the plant.
