Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Employee Killed In Ukrainian Car Bomb Attack

UNSPLASH/FREDéric Paulussen Nuclear Power Plant/ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - An employee at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (PLTN) in southern Ukraine was killed in a car bomb attack.

The Russian Investigative Committee said an employee named Andrei Korotkey, died after a bomb placed under his car exploded near his home in the city of Energy.

Korotky works in the factory security department, the Committee said. A criminal case has been opened over his death.

Ukrainian military intelligence published a video of the victim's car explosion. The Ukrainian military called Korotkiy a "warcriminal" and collaborator.

Ukraine accused it of oppressing Ukrainians and giving Russia a list of factory employees and then appointing people with pro-Ukraine views.

The Ukraine Ministry of Defense's Main Intelligence Directorate reminded the public that every war criminal will be punished fairly, the Ukrainian intelligence agency said via Telegram's official channel.

The factory authorities criticized the Ukrainian side for masterminding the killing.

"This is a terrible and inhumane act," factory director Yuri Chernichuk said, vowing to punish the attackers.

"Attacks on employees who guarantee the safety of nuclear facilities are reckless and outrageous steps," he added.

Russian troops seized the Zaporizhzhia factory, Europe's largest plant with six reactors, as soon as they entered Ukraine in February 2022. The plant is currently not operating.

The two sides often accused each other of launching attacks on the factory, but both denied it.

The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has placed permanent monitoring at the power plant. They have urged both sides to refrain from all attacks against it.