Occupation Terror: Russia illegally convicted ZNPP workers, some went missing
13 May 2025 14:56
During the occupation of Enerhodar, the Russian military illegally imprisoned at least 13 employees of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. This was reported by the press service of the state-owned company Energoatom, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
Seven of them have already received fictitious sentences.
In particular:
- Natalia Shulga, a 56-year-old ZNPP employee, was sentenced to 15 years in prison;
- Serhiy Poting, an engineer at the plant, was sentenced to 19 years.
Three more employees are currently in Russian prisons, awaiting so-called court decisions. The fate of three more is unknown, they are considered missing.
Energoatom also reminded that at the beginning of the full-scale war, Russians tortured Andriy Honcharuk, a diver at ZNPP, to death.
“All illegally detained employees of the nuclear power plant must be immediately released. Zaporizhzhia NPP must return to the control of its legitimate operator, Energoatom, and Russian troops and equipment must be withdrawn from the plant,” the company said.
According to Energoatom, about five thousand ZNPP specialists have already been able to leave the temporarily occupied Enerhodar.
What is known about the abduction of ZNPP employees
In July 2022, Zaporizhzhia NPP employees and their relatives said that more than 40 people from among the plant’s staff were held captive by the occupiers. They were kidnapped for ransom. At the same time, the Russian military took two more nuclear workers to an unknown destination. Three months later, in October, the occupiers kidnapped Valerii Martyniuk, Deputy Director General of Zaporizhzhia NPP from the staff.
In April 2023, Energoatom reported that the Russians had kidnapped four NPP employees who were considered loyal to the invaders. Among the detainees was Mark Volkov, the “deputy head” of the physical protection service. According to Energoatom, he “contributed in every way to the illegal activities of the invaders.”
In February 2025, the Russians took hostage two Ukrainian power engineers who worked at ZNPP. They were taken prisoner while working at the plant.
