Strengthening Control Over Occupied Areas Following Referendum
IAEA Nuclear Power Plant Demilitarized Zone Talks Expected to Face Difficulties
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The conflict between Russia and Ukraine over the operation rights of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has intensified as Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a law to nationalize the plant. Ukraine’s efforts to restart reactors that were shut down due to safety concerns to protect the operation rights have raised fears of a major accident. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which was mediating negotiations to establish a demilitarized zone around the plant to ensure safety, is also expected to face difficulties.
According to Russia’s TASS news agency on the 5th (local time), President Putin signed a decree to nationalize the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant as a federal asset of Russia. Under this law, the Russian government plans to establish a state-owned enterprise to take over all assets of the Zaporizhzhia plant and place its operation under government control.
This measure came immediately after the approval of the annexation of four Russian-occupied regions, including Zaporizhzhia Oblast. It is interpreted as a strategy to nationalize key infrastructure in the occupied territories to strengthen the annexation and regional control. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry also stated that "as Zaporizhzhia Oblast has been officially annexed as Russian territory, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant will also be operated by Russian authorities."
The Zaporizhzhia plant was occupied by Russian forces in March, but its operation is still carried out by employees of Energoatom, the existing Ukrainian nuclear company. It is expected that the Russian government will dispatch Russian technicians to the plant to fully take over the operation rights in the future.
Before the nationalization measure, Russian forces controlling the Zaporizhzhia plant detained and then expelled Ihor Murashov, the plant director, on the 30th of last month on charges of colluding with Ukrainian forces. At the time of Murashov’s detention, Russian forces reportedly threatened to transfer the operation rights of the plant to Russia.
Ukraine strongly opposed Russia’s unilateral declaration of nationalization. Petro Kotin, CEO of Energoatom, stated on Telegram that "all future decisions regarding the operation of the plant will be made directly by Energoatom headquarters," and urged, "plant employees must not sign any documents issued by the Russian occupying forces."
As both Ukraine and Russia continue their dispute over the operation rights of the plant, concerns over nuclear safety accidents are growing. The IAEA announced in a statement that "Ukrainian personnel operating the Zaporizhzhia plant have informed us that they are preparing to restart one of the six reactors at the facility." This is interpreted as an attempt to forcibly restart the reactor despite the risks to prevent Russia from seizing operation rights. Previously, all six reactors at the Zaporizhzhia plant were shut down due to safety concerns.
Negotiations to establish a demilitarized zone around the plant, promoted by the IAEA, are also expected to face significant difficulties. On the same day, Rafael Grossi, IAEA Director General, announced that he had departed for Kyiv to discuss the demilitarized zone issue and plans to visit Moscow within a few days.
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