Russia has formally declared that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) — Europe’s largest — is now a fully integrated “Russian nuclear facility,” effectively shutting down hopes of a return to Ukrainian or international control.
In a statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry on March 25, officials claimed the plant's status as part of Russia’s nuclear infrastructure is “a settled fact,” leaving the international community, as they put it, with “no choice but to recognize it.”
“No Return to Ukraine. No Foreign Oversight”
“The transfer of the plant itself or control over it to Ukraine or any other country is impossible,” the ministry stated, firmly rejecting the notion of any shared authority or international monitoring.
Russia also dismissed the involvement of global watchdogs like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), calling the idea of their participation “absurd” and claiming such organizations lack the mandate or expertise to operate nuclear facilities — a claim at odds with the IAEA’s established global role.
The ministry cited “nuclear security concerns” as justification, claiming that NATO’s intelligence support to Ukraine renders even temporary access by international actors “impossible.”
Occupation Since 2022
The Zaporizhzhia plant, located in southeastern Ukraine, was seized by Russian forces in the early days of their full-scale invasion in March 2022.
It has remained under Russian military occupation ever since, despite repeated international calls — including from the United Nations and IAEA — to return the facility to Ukrainian control and de-militarize the surrounding area.
The plant has been a flashpoint of concern for nearly two years, with repeated fears over potential nuclear accidents due to nearby shelling, power outages, and staffing issues under Russian occupation.
Speaking after recent trilateral talks in Riyadh with U.S. officials, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the broader consequences of Russian control over the plant.
“We talked about the ZNPP... I told him [Trump] that just the station itself won’t work,” Zelenskyy said.
“There is a city, people live there, and their families. They blew up the dam, cutting off access to water — there are many issues.”
