BREAKING UPDATE: Head of Zaporizhzhia power plant Ihor Murashov reportedly freed after being kidnapped by Russian troops

Ihor Murashov, the head of Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, has been returned safely after reportedly being kidnapped over the weekend.

UPDATE 5.11 pm (October 3) – Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Mariano Grossi announced on Monday, October 3, that the head of the Zaporizhzhia power plant, Ihor Murashov, has been returned safely after being kidnapped.

“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,” he said.

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

ORIGINAL 12.11 pm (October 10) – The head of Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, Ihor Murashov, has reportedly been kidnapped by Russian troops, as reported on Saturday, October 1.

Russian troops are believed to have kidnapped Ihor Murashov, the general director of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, according to Energoatom.

Murashov was snatched on the evening of Friday, September 30, by a Russian patrol when he was returning from the power plant.

A statement from Energoatom president Petro Kotin read: “Director General of the Zaporizhzhya NPP Ihor Murashov was detained by the Russian patrol on his way from the plant to the town of Energodar on September 30 around 4 pm.”

“The vehicle of the Director General of the NPP was stopped, he was taken out of the car, and with his eyes blindfolded he was driven in an unknown direction. For the time being there is no information on his fate.”

He added: “Director General of the ZNPP Ihor Murashov is a licensed person and bears main and exclusive responsibility for the nuclear and radiation safety of the Zaporizhzhya NPP.

“His detention by the Russians jeopardises the safety of operation of Ukraine and Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.

“I demand that the Russians staying at the ZNPP and Rosatom’s personnel, who also stay illegally at the nuclear facility of Ukraine, stop immediately the acts of nuclear terrorism towards the management and personnel of the ZNPP, release the plant’s Director General and let him return to his responsibilities on maintaining safe operation of the Zaporizhzhya NPP.”

“I appeal to the Director General of the IAEA Rafael Grossi and WANO Chairman Tom Mitchell to take all possible immediate actions to urgently free the Director General of the ZNPP from the Russian captivity and to bring him back to perform his duties,” he concluded.

On Thursday, September 29, Ukraine’s state-owned enterprise Energoatom was forced to deny claims of a fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.