Ukraine's National Police announced suspicion against Deputy General Director of Rosatom for robbery of Chornobyl NPP

National Police of Ukraine

Yelyzaveta Kovtun

Investigators of the National Police of Ukraine announced suspicion against the Deputy General Director of Rosatom, Russian Major General of the Police Nikolai Mulyukin.

What is known about the suspicion of Rosatom Deputy General Director Mulyukin

Mulyukin was suspected of violating the laws and customs of war — he faces up to 12 years in prison.

It is the first suspicion of a Russian official of this rank.

According to the investigation, during the Russian occupation of Chornobyl in the spring of 2022, Mulyukin led the robbery of the nuclear power plant. He was personally at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.

Since the occupiers did not know what to do with the station during decommissioning, they looted the property. The Russian military carried out the orders of Rosatom employees at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, holding hostage the station's employees and the National Guardsmen who were protecting it.

Investigators have identified more than 100 Russians who participated in the seizure and robbery of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. It has been confirmed that Mulyukin led the occupiers at the facility.

Rosatom employees removed from the Chornobyl NPP a unique radiological laboratory, sources of ionising radiation, almost 700 computers, 344 official cars and even radiation dosimeters. The total amount of damage to the station is almost one billion hryvnias.

What is known about the occupation of the Chornobyl NPP?

On February 24, 2022, the first day of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops seized the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. After crossing the border with Belarus, elite and modernized units of the Russian army, which played a crucial role in the blitzkrieg and capture of the capital, moved to Kyiv through the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.

For 24 days, the occupiers blocked the rotation of the personnel, who should change to each other. The criminal actions of the Russians at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant posed a severe threat to the safety of the plant.

On March 31, 2022, Russian troops, retreating from the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, captured almost 170 people, including Ukrainian National Guardsmen who were guarding the plant. In addition, the occupiers did not disdain looting, looting the Chornobyl nuclear power plant before their departure.