This was stated during a briefing by the head of NNEGC Energoatom Petro Kotin, Ukrinform reports.
"We understand why Russia aims to seize our nuclear facilities, because they are fortified and in peacetime have adequate protection against intrusion, have a fence, and have all the means of control and fixation… And the invaders turn them into their military bases. They have placed 500 people at the ZNPP, and another 1,000 invaders are in the city of Energodar”, Kotin said.
He added that there are 1,000 invaders at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
The head of Energoatom noted that the ZNPP personnel work under the control of the military. Currently, the personnel of the nuclear power plant are dealing with the consequences of the shelling.
"The invaders are counting on us not to knock them out, because our nuclear facilities and security at these facilities are very dear to us. Thus, any shelling is unacceptable, because it can damage the reactive core of the reactors and lead to a global catastrophe", Kotin said.
Today, 8 power units operate at four Ukrainian nuclear power plants, including 2 at ZNPP. Another power unit at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant is undergoing scheduled repairs, the other three have been put in a cold state.
"This is the safest state of maintenance of power units", the head of Energoatom explained.
According to him, there is a lot of nuclear material at ZNPP and any action could lead to it being released into the air.