Posted on Feb 24, 2026 / Travel

Although the plant is under Russian military control, it’s still legally owned by Ukraine’s nuclear authority, Energoatom. Russia captured the facility in March 2022 during the early months of its invasion and has since stationed troops, vehicles and equipment on the site. There have been reports that plant personnel were pressured to sign contracts with Russia’s state nuclear company, Rosatom, but many Ukrainian workers left or were detained. The occupation is widely seen as illegal under international law, and Ukraine regularly highlights this in diplomatic settings. The IAEA is present to monitor safety, but its access is sometimes restricted by security on the ground. Control of the site remains a key point in international negotiations about Ukraine’s future and nuclear safety.
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