President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian state on October 5 to take full control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. This is one of his first moves to impose rule over areas of Ukraine that Russia has claimed as its own.
The order came after the signing of decrees on the annexation of four Ukrainian regions, which are partially controlled by Moscow.
After signing the decree that designates the nuclear plant as Russian "federal property," Putin said he expects the situation in these regions to "stabilize."
Russia has announced the annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia, after fake referendums were held in these regions.
Zaporizhzhia is a city in the southeast of Ukraine, where the largest nuclear power plant in Europe is located. Control of this plant was taken by Russian forces shortly after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Rosenergoatom, Russia's nuclear power operator, said it would assess damage to the plant's infrastructure and transfer Ukrainian employees to a new Russian-owned organization.
While Ukrainian state nuclear operator Enerhoatom said Putin's decree and other Russian documents related to the nuclear plant were "worthless and absurd".
Enerhoatom said the plant would continue to operate "in accordance with Ukrainian legislation".
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, left for Kiev on October 5, and is expected to visit Moscow this week.
Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, and in September Putin announced a "partial" military mobilization to bolster Ukraine's ranks, at a time when Kiev's forces are reporting retaking control of some territory that had been seized by Russian forces. .