Russian forces have kidnapped the pinnacle of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant, Ukrainian operator Energoatom mentioned on Saturday.

Ihor Murashov, director basic of the facility plant, was arrested by Russian patrols on his means from the power to a close-by city on Friday afternoon, in accordance with Energoatom, a state enterprise working all 4 nuclear energy crops within the nation.

“The automobile of the Director Common of the [Zaporizhzhia plant] was stopped, he was taken out of the automobile, and together with his eyes blindfolded he was pushed in an unknown path. In the intervening time there isn’t a info on his destiny,” Energoatom’s head, Petro Kotin, mentioned in a press release.

Murashov’s detention “jeopardizes the security of operation of Ukraine and Europe’s largest nuclear energy plant,” Kotin mentioned.

The Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company (IAEA) has requested for clarification, Reuters reported.

Kotin believes that Russia is planning to switch the Zaporizhzhia energy plant to Rosatom, the Guardian reported. “They’re attempting to make our personnel simply to signal the correct offers for the work at Rosatom,” the information outlet quoted him as saying.

The ability plant was within the highlight earlier this month when it was taken off the electrical energy grid in response to Russian shelling. It’s situated in one of many areas that Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved to annex.