Ukraine claims Russia brought 11 engineers to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant amid war

In a massive development on Saturday, Petro Kotin, the head of Ukraine's state-run nuclear company Energoatom said Russian occupiers told the plant's staff that it no longer belongs to Ukraine. The Russian occupiers allegedly said that the Ukranians would have to operate according to the orders of Rosatom, the Russian state atomic energy cooperation.

According to a report by The Kyiv Independent, the 11 Russian occupiers also told them that they "came here (in Ukraine) for a long time and it is now a horde territory, so the nuclear power plant must operate in accordance with Rosatom decrees."

The report suggests the representative of the group said they were sent "to assess nuclear and radiation safety after the shelling and seizure of the station, as well as to provide assistance with repairs." Earlier, it was reported that Rosatom, which structure includes several hundred enterprises of nuclear branches of the invading country, take part in the capture of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. 

Russia-Ukraine War

Russia has threatened military operation on Finland and Sweden days after its invasion of Ukraine in the guise of 'denazifying'' the former Soviet nation. On Saturday, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister said that Finland and Sweden joining North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) could have both political and military repercussions. The Minister said, "It should be noted that Sweden and Finland are the only two non-NATO members among the eight Baltic and Nordic nations, and Moscow's attack on Kyiv has forced both countries in favour of joining the alliance."

Russia claims the US provided anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine

On Saturday, in a video address posted on Facebook by Russia's Defence Minister Igor Konashenkov, the Kremlin claimed the United States (US) provided anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine, adding that European nations posed a threat to civilian aircraft. 

Konashenkov said that Russian armed forces used a high-precision strike to cripple Ukraine's military's key radio intelligence centre. According to Konashenkov, 3,491 military facilities in Ukraine have been deactivated since Russia began its invasion of Kyiv on February 24.