A part of the seized Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is managed by armed Chechen forces, a Ukrainian army group stated Sunday.
The forces in query, the so-called Particular Speedy Response Unit Akhmat, are led by a detailed ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin: Chechen Ramzan Kadyrov.
“It’s identified that part of the station has not too long ago been managed by a Kadyrov gang … which positioned gear and weapons immediately in turbine halls #1 and #2,” the Middle of Nationwide Resistance stated in an announcement.
The middle is a army group designed to help and coordinate Ukrainian troops.
On Wednesday, the Chechen chief Kadyrov wrote in a Telegram submit that his unit is in Enerhodar, a metropolis adjoining to the Zaporizhzhia plant. He accused Ukrainians of firing “indiscriminately on the shoreline of Enerhodar, its industrial space and the Zaporizhzhia NPP.”
Bear in mind: The Zaporizhzhia plant, the most important nuclear complicated of its variety in Europe, was seized by Russian forces at first of the battle.
In its assertion, the Middle of Nationwide Resistance additionally claimed that “Russia is making an attempt to attach the Zaporizhzhia NPP to its energy system as quickly as potential.”
“The occupiers are rapidly finishing up measures to transform the spent nuclear gasoline storage system on the ZNPP to Russian requirements, in addition to adapting all nuclear reactors of the ZNPP to make use of Russian gasoline assemblies,” the Middle wrote.
CNN can not independently confirm these claims.
Extra context: The Chechen Republic is a area in Russia’s north Caucasus.
Russian forces fought a brutal battle for management of the territory within the mid-Nineteen Nineties and the early 2000s. Kadyrov was as soon as a guerrilla who fought in opposition to Russia before switching sides.
Throughout the Second Chechen Warfare, which coincided with the rise of Putin, Kadyrov helped Moscow wrest management of the Chechen Republic from separatist rebels.
Kadyrov has been accused by worldwide and impartial observers of gross human rights violations in his house territory and past. He leads sizeable paramilitary forces that — whereas formally part of Russian safety constructions — have private loyalty to him.
