Russians trying to force Ukrainian staff at Zaporizhzhia NPP to launch power unit No. 4

Yurii Chernichuk, the so-called "director general" of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) appointed by the Russian authorities, is trying to persuade Ukrainian nuclear specialists at the plant to launch power unit No. 4.

Source: Energoatom, a Ukrainian national nuclear energy company

Quote: "The operational staff brought in from Russia is completely incompetent and lacks relevant experience. Yurii Chernichuk, illegally appointed by the Russian authorities as the ‘general director’ of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP, is persuading nuclear workers who refused to sign fake contracts with Rosatom to launch the power unit No. 4."

Details: It is noted that Chernichuk is trying to get out of this situation and involve those Ukrainian workers who had previously refused to sign fake contracts with Rosatom and who were blocked from accessing the plant.

Over the last week, due to the constant physical and psychological pressure of the occupiers, about 30 members of the licenced personnel of the ZNPP left Enerhodar. They managed to leave for the government-controlled territory of Ukraine.

The personnel at the plant categorically refuse to comply with the criminal order of the occupiers, which is a direct violation of the operating licence issued by the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine.

"The responsible Ukrainian personnel are aware that violation of the SNRIU licence terms will result in the loss of personal licences after the liberation of ZNPP," Energoatom said.

Background: 

• The Russian occupiers are going to put power unit No. 4 of the Zaporizhzhia NPP into a "hot shutdown" state. At the same time, they are deliberately not putting power unit No. 5 into a "cold shutdown".
• The Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Russians may soon be preparing a provocation on the territory of the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

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