The head of Ukraine’s state nuclear energy operator Energoatom announced he has transferred administration of facility to Kyiv.

Petro Kotin said he had made the decision in the face of Russian attempts to formalise control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station

In a related development on Thursday (6 October), Ukraine’s foreign ministry said attempts by Russia to take control of the station are a “crime” that further increases the risk and threats to nuclear security caused by Russia’s occupation of the station.

The ministry said in a statement that Moscow’s attempt to take control of Zaporizhzhia was “illegal”. The statement said: “We consider the relevant decree of the president of the Russian Federation in this regard null and void.”