The AP Interview: Ukraine aims to restart occupied reactors

By ADAM SCHRECK and HANNA ARHIROVA
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The head of the company operating Europe’s largest nuclear plant, which is occupied by Russian troops, says Ukraine is considering restarting the facility to ensure its safety — just weeks after fears of a radiation disaster prompted its shutdown. Run by Ukrainian state nuclear company Energoatom, the Zaporizhzhia plant is one of the most worrying flashpoints in Russia’s occupation of Ukraine. It has been damaged in fighting, prompting international alarm. In an interview with The Associated Press Tuesday, Energoatom President Petro Kotin said the company could restart two of the reactors in a matter of days as winter approaches. “If you have low temperature, you will just freeze everything inside. The safety equipment will be damaged,” he said.