Chief Engineer at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant betrays Ukraine and collaborates with Russians
Petro Kotin, the president of the national nuclear energy company Energoatom, has urged the ZNPP [Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant] employees not to sign any documents with the Russians and Rosatom [Russian state corporation based in Moscow that runs all nuclear power plants in this country – ed.]; he has also said that Yurii Chernichuk, the Deputy Chief Engineer of the ZNPP, betrayed Ukraine and collaborated with the Russian occupiers.
Source: Kotin's appeal to the employees of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP
Quote from Kotin: "Unfortunately, I have to report another blow to the national energy sector in general and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in particular.
Yurii Chernichuk, the Deputy Chief Engineer of the ZNPP, who performed his duties during the war, betrayed Ukraine and went over to the enemy.
Instead of making every effort to liberate the plant as soon as possible, he decided to help the Russian occupiers legalise the criminal seizure [of the ZNPP] and now incites other nuclear workers to do the same."
Details: Kotin said that Chernichuk was fired from Energoatom and "sooner or later he will be held responsible for everything before the law and before people".
The Energoatom President urged ZNPP employees "not to make irreparable steps that will forever cross out the entire previous life path, all successes and achievements".
At the same time, according to him, the Russian occupiers are increasingly putting pressure on the pro-Ukrainian staff of ZNPP by intimidating and blackmailing them, and not letting them work.
He urged the ZNPP employees not to sign anything with Rosatom and its affiliated companies.
Quote: "The fake JSC "Operating Organisation of Zaporizhzhia NPP" persistently spreads "information" that thousands of Ukrainian nuclear workers happily joined Rosatom and are proud of it, as allegedly new and bright prospects have opened up for them.
This is a cynical lie. Like everything else that Russia claims.
The transition to the Russian institution will make you direct accomplices of the aggressor, and therefore enemy of your own compatriots.
The Russian invaders use ZNPP not as a nuclear power plant, but primarily as a military base and a means of nuclear blackmail of the whole world. Therefore, the personnel they recruit to work under the Russian flag will be obliged to support military aggression against Ukraine".
Details: According to Kotin, Russians do not care about nuclear and radiation safety of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and its further fate: "Russia will soon be driven out [from ZNPP – ed.], and one will have to live with the stamp of a traitor until the end [of his life – ed.]".
Background:
- Russian forces have occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant since the beginning of March, making Ukraine face the threat of nuclear disaster by maintaining military presence there. Ukraine is seeking the demilitarisation of ZNPP through the IAEA mediation.
- Petro Kotin, president of the national nuclear energy company Energoatom, reported that there were signs that the occupiers could be getting ready to abandon the 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 (NPP) was out of the question.
- Since 28 November, the Russian military has banned employees who have not signed any contracts with Rosatom from entering the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).
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