President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, signed a decree on Wednesday ordering the Government to seize control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, which has been under the Russian Army’s control since March. The move marks a sharp shift in authority over a critical energy facility that sits at the heart of regional tensions and fears about safety and sovereignty.
The presidential decree specifies that the facility and the surrounding facilities essential to its operation should become state property. To carry this out, the government is tasked with creating a dedicated company charged with ensuring the safety and continuous operation of the plant, a goal that has attracted attacks from both sides in the ongoing conflict over the past two months. This reorganization underscores how control over the plant intersects with security and political leverage in the region.
The decision arrives as concerns mount following the reactor shutdown triggered on September 11, which prompted alarms from the International Atomic Energy Agency, reflecting the high level of international attention on the facility’s status and safety protocols. The IAEA has repeatedly urged restraint and a focus on safeguarding the plant to prevent any broader repercussions for regional and global energy supplies.
On Wednesday, after the annexation of the territory last Friday was declared, Russian authorities stated that the plant lies within the national perimeter and, as such, should be managed by the government structures of Russia. This assertion aligns with a broader pattern of territorial claims and administrative reorganizations that have accompanied the conflict, complicating attempts to establish a stable, internationally verifiable governance framework for the site.
Concurrently, Rosenergoatom, the state-controlled Russian company, announced the creation of a new entity tasked with running the plant and named a new director, Oleg Romanenko, who previously held the post of chief engineer at another Russian facility. This leadership change signals a significant shift in management style and priorities, with an emphasis on security, reliability, and the plant’s long-term operation under Russian oversight.
The Ukrainian state-owned company Energoatom criticized the arrest and disappearance of Ihor Murashov, who was in charge of the plant on the first day of the incident. Murashov’s fate has become a focal point in the broader struggle over governance and accountability at the site, drawing international attention to the human dimension of the crisis and to the safety leadership responsible for protecting nuclear assets under volatile conditions.
The head of the facility was eventually released on Monday and spoke of the situation as an exile from lands controlled by one side or another, suggesting a deepening rift and a sense of being caught between competing national claims. The situation raises serious questions about the continuity of management, access to essential information, and the ability of plant personnel to operate without fear of political retribution.
Putin’s decree came just before the visit of Rafael Grossi, director-general of the IAEA, to Kyiv and Moscow for talks focused on the immediate adoption and implementation of a security zone around the plant. The discussions aim to establish clear, verifiable safeguards and a framework that can reduce the risk of accidents or escalation while ensuring transparent oversight by the international community. [Source: Reuters]