Negotiations on Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant reaches dead end – Ukraine's Energy Minister

Ukraine’s Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko has stated that the diplomatic steps on bringing the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) back under Ukraine’s control are currently unsuccessful.

Source: Halushchenko on air of national joint 24/7 newscast    

Details: According to him, the situation has reached a dead end, as the position voiced by Ukraine at all international platforms is that any negotiations on ZNPP should be based on: first, the demilitarisation of the plant, and second, the withdrawal of Rosatom employees from ZNPP. Thirdly, Ukrainian personnel should be able to operate the nuclear facility without pressure. 

"But in response to this, we received a null and void decree from Putin stating that ZNPP is 'federal' property, with the registration of a company in Moscow called ‘Zaporozhye station’," said Halushchenko.

The Minister noted that Ukraine is receiving disturbing messages from the IAEA mission, that has been working on the ZNPP, that the Russians behave extremely unprofessionally at the station.

"The IAEA mission confirms that the Russians operate the plant in such a way that the condition of equipment and facilities at ZNPP is significantly deteriorating. There is a feeling that one of the occupiers’ goals is to leave the ZNPP at the inoperable condition after its liberation," said Herman Halushchenko.

Background:

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, that has been occupied for a yeah now, has survived five complete blackouts, when diesel generators were connected to power the reactor zones, spent fuel pools, and spent fuel site. 

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