The director general of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporijjia, arrested on Friday by Russia, which controls the site, has been released, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has experts on site, announced on Monday. “I welcome the release of Igor Murachov,” tweeted the director general of the UN body, Rafael Grossi. “I have received confirmation that he has returned home safe and sound.”
I welcome the release of Ihor Murashov, Director General of #Ukraine‘s #Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant; I have received confirmation that Mr Murashov has returned to his family safely.
— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) October 3, 2022
“Drove blindfolded to an unknown destination”
The director of the plant was arrested by a “Russian patrol” as he went to the town of Ernogodar, controlled by the Russians, according to the Ukrainian operator Energoadom. The vehicle carrying the director of the plant had been stopped and the latter extracted from the car then “drove, blindfolded, to an unknown destination”, according to the same source.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba on Saturday condemned this “illegal detention” for an unknown reason. “This crime is another act of state terrorism by Russia and represents a serious violation of international law,” he said.
The plant close to the demarcation line
The Zaporijjia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, has been occupied since the beginning of March by Russian troops, but is not far from the demarcation line between the territories controlled by kyiv and those occupied by Moscow. It is located in the Zaporizhia region, one of the Ukrainian territories officially annexed by Russia on Friday.
A delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited the site in early September. Two of his inspectors are still there. Faced with regular bombardments raising fears of a major nuclear accident, the UN agency advocates the establishment of a security zone around the site. With this in mind, Rafael Grossi has started consultations with kyiv and Moscow, where “he should go” this week, the IAEA said this weekend.