Ukraine evacuates thousands of nuclear workers from Russian-occupied ZNPP
About 5,000 nuclear workers from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) have been evacuated and relocated to areas free from occupation, the Ukrinform news agency reported on July 19, citing Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.
These workers, employed by Energoatom (Ukraine's nuclear energy operator), are being relocated to help complete the construction of the Khmelnytskyi NPP units.
Since February, Russia has banned access to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) for workers who remain in the occupied territory. However, according to Energoatom President Petro Kotin, they continue to receive their salaries, which are regularly paid into their accounts by Energoatom.
ZNPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and has been under Russian occupation since March 2022.
On June 18, Energy Research Center director Oleksandr Kharchenko said that returning ZNPP to Ukrainian control is the only way to prevent blackouts, as Ukraine's energy system is operating at about 25% of pre-war levels.
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