Russian troops, Ukrainian guards control Chernobyl, Zaporizhzhia: Moscow

International Desk, Mar 15 (EFE).- Russian soldiers are in control of Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants with Ukrainian personnel, a Russian government official told state media outlet Sputnik on Tuesday.

“Currently, Russian servicemen, together with Ukrainian guards and plant personnel, control the situation at the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants,” said Alexey Polishchuk, director of the Russian foreign ministry’s Second CIS Department.

He added that the two plants are “operating normally, the radiation background remains normal, which is confirmed by the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).”

“Now the main efforts are aimed at preventing provocations by the Ukrainian nationalist forces against these critical infrastructure facilities,” he said.

According to the IAEA, Ukraine said Chernobyl’s external power was on Monday restored after the line was damaged again by Russian forces.

Eight of the country’s 15 reactors remained operating, and “the radiation levels at all NPPs are in the normal range,” the IAEA quoted the Ukrainian nuclear regulator as saying. EFE

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