G7 condemns Russia for ‘kidnapping’ nuclear plant officials in Ukraine

The management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station was abducted by Russia, and the G-7 demanded that Ukraine be granted immediate complete control of the facility.

The G7 nonproliferation directors general were quoted as saying, “We condemn Russia’s repeated kidnapping of Ukrainian ZNPP [ed.: Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant] management and workers,” in a statement on Saturday, according to Reuters.

“We urge Russia to immediately return full control of the ZNPP to its rightful sovereign owner, Ukraine”, he stated.

The largest nuclear power station in Europe was taken over by the Russian military in early March.

Ukraine’s government-run nuclear energy company blamed Russia on Wednesday for holding two top workers at the plant.

Oleg Kostyukov, the plant’s head of information technology, and Oleg Osheka, the assistant general director, were “abducted” by Russian forces on Monday, according to Energoatom, and “taken to an unknown destination,” Agence France-Presse said.

Energoatom has requested that Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, “make every effort” to achieve their release.

Valeriy Martyniuk, another ZNPP official, was released, according to the media.