The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared on March 25 that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, is a Russian facility that will not be transferred to Ukraine or any other country.
The declaration came in response to information about possible international negotiations regarding its status. According to the Ministry, the return of the plant to the Russian nuclear sector is a "fait accompli" and the international community must recognize it.
Additionally, Russia ruled out any possibility of delivery or shared control with Ukraine, the United States, or representatives of international organizations, arguing that it would compromise the physical and nuclear security of the plant.
The Zaporizhzhia plant, which has six reactors, was captured by Russian forces at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in March 2022.
In October of that same year, Russia formally annexed the plant after holding referendums in the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, whose results were not recognized by the international community.
The referendums were labeled by the United States and other Western countries as a "farce" at the time, as they were conducted under coercive circumstances and without the necessary legitimacy. Despite this, the Kremlin insisted that the referendums reflected the will of the people, with 98% support for union with Russia.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs justified the control of the plant by ensuring that all the plant's employees are Russian citizens and that the safety of these workers would be at risk if the plant were managed by Ukraine or other actors.
Additionally, Russia rejected any proposal for shared management, arguing that there are no international precedents of this kind and that it could endanger both the physical and nuclear security of the plant.
The plant, which previously caused electricity, is currently not operating due to constant attacks on the energy infrastructure by Ukrainian forces and other Russian responses.
