Russian occupiers announce appointment of new "director" at Zaporizhzhia NPP

OLEKSII PAVLYSH – WEDNESDAY, 30 NOVEMBER 2022, 15:20

The Russian Rosenergoatom [operator of Russian nuclear power stations – ed.], the "managing" company for the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), has announced the appointment of Yuriy Chernichuk, who had previously allegedly held the position of chief engineer at Energoatom [Ukrainian state enterprise operating all nuclear power plants in Ukraine], as the new "director" of ZNPP.

Source: Kremlin-aligned news outlet Interfax, quoting statement by Renat Karchaa, advisor to Rosenergoatom General Director.

Quote: "Yuriy Chernichuk, who held the position of chief engineer in the coordinate system of his former employer, the NNEGC [Ukrainian National Nuclear Power Generating Company], became the new director of ZNPP and the first deputy director general of the operating organisation of Zaporizhzhia Power Plant," Karchaa said.

Details: Karchaa claims that Chernichuk "has been a key person in the management of the plant for several months, and did not lose contact with the NPP employees".

The representative of the Russian company also claims that the leading positions in the management of ZNPP are allegedly occupied by "representatives of the former team who signed the contract".

"There are no signs of our withdrawal from Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, as well as from the city of Enerhodar," Karchaa said.

Background:

• On 27 November, President of the NNEGC Energoatom, Petro Kotin, said that there are signs of preparation of the Russian military to withdraw from the territory of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
• Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, has stated that withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is out of the question.
• NNEGC Energoatom reported that out of 6,700 employees who remained to work at the Russian-occupied ZNPP, only 100 signed contracts with Rosatom under pressure; however, there are also "volunteers" from top management.
• President of the aggressor country, Vladimir Putin, has signed a decree according to which Zaporizhzhia NPP, seized by the occupiers, will be transferred to Russia.
• The Russian state corporation Rosatom has established a joint-stock company Zaporizhzhia NPP Operational Organisation registered in Moscow, which aims to manage the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP

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