The children of Ukrainian nuclear workers at the Zaporizhzhia power plant have reportedly been taken to Russia as hostages by Russian soldiers in order to force their parents to cooperate with the occupation of the plant. Oleg Korikov, Ukraine's chief state inspector for nuclear and radiation safety, accused Russia of using the situation at the power plant for global "blackmail". He claimed that staff at the plant are being pressured, beaten, and imprisoned, and that there are concerns that explosives may have been placed in the safety equipment. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed concerns about the safety of the plant, but some experts have downplayed the risk of an accident. The UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverley, announced asset freezes and travel bans on 11 Russians involved in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.
Fri, 21 Jul 2023 05:00:00 GMT | inews