Zaporizhzhya NPP. Photo: Energoatom
A military court in Rostov, Russia, has sentenced Ukrainian engineer Serhiy Poting, a member of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, to 18 years in prison. He was accused of attempting to carry out a terrorist attack against the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors who were at the occupied plant. This was reported by the mayor of Enerhodar, Dmitry Orlov.
According to Russian intelligence services, Pottinga allegedly acted under the direction of Ukrainian intelligence and planned to blow up the car of IAEA experts.
The occupation version of events
The Russian side claims that the engineer worked in the Department of Automation and Metrology at Zaporizhzhia NPP. In March 2023, he allegedly joined a ‘terrorist group’ created by the Ukrainian special services to study transport routes inside the plant.
According to the Russian prosecutor’s office, he received the 1kg explosive via the encrypted Swiss messenger system Threema. In May 2023, the engineer allegedly placed an explosive device under a Hyundai IX35, but his “suspicious actions” were noticed by security guards.
Context: Zaporizhzhya NPP remains at the centre of geopolitical confrontation
Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest in Europe, was seized by Russian forces in March 2022. It remains under occupation, operating with Ukrainian personnel and under constant monitoring by IAEA experts.
The Russian Federation and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of shelling the plant’s territory, which poses a threat of a nuclear disaster.
Russia has no plans to hand over the station
Amid reports of talks between Kyiv and Washington on the possible transfer of Zaporizhzhia NPP to US control, Russia has categorically ruled out such a scenario. The Kremlin emphasises that the plant will remain under Russian jurisdiction, despite international pressure.
