Russia blindfolds, detains Ukraine nuclear plant chief - Fox News

Russian forces blindfolded and detained the head of Europe’s largest nuclear plant, Ukraine’s nuclear power provider said Saturday, reigniting long-simmering fears over the plant's security.

In a possible attempt to secure Moscow’s hold on the newly annexed territory, Russian forces seized the director-general of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Ihor Murashov, at about 4 p.m.

7, 2022, shows a general view of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in territory under Russian military control, southeastern Ukraine. .

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

"His detention by (Russia) jeopardizes the safety of Ukraine and Europe’s largest nuclear power plant," said Energoatom President Petro Kotin, demanding the director’s immediate release.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said Saturday that Russia told it that "the director-general of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was temporarily detained to answer questions.".

Ukrainian technicians continued running the power station after Russian troops seized it.

Energoatom spokespeople told The Associated Press on Saturday that employees of the Zaporizhzhia power plant are being forced to submit applications to report to Rosatom, Russia’s state-run nuclear energy giant that operates Russian nuclear plants

Ukrainian authorities appointed him to run the plant several days before Russian troops rolled into Ukraine

Nevertheless, Energoatom said it hasn’t lost connections with the plant and all important parameters of its work are still being reported to Kyiv