CNN
–
The United States has sensitive nuclear technology nuclear power plant It’s inside Ukraine and warned Russia not to touch it, according to a letter sent by the U.S. Department of Energy last month to Rosatom, a Russian state-owned nuclear energy company.
Andrea Ferkile, director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Non-Proliferation Policy, told Director General Rosatom in a letter reviewed by CNN and reviewed on March 17, 2023 that the data is controlled by the U.S. government. ”
When methods that undermine U.S. national security interests may be used, goods, software and technology will be subject to U.S. export control.
As Russian troops continued to control the plant, letters from the Ministry of Energy came, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, part of the area of Zaporizhzhia occupied after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February. The plant is often disconnected from Ukraine’s power grid due to strong Russian shelling in the region, which has raised concerns over nuclear accidents throughout Europe.
Although the plant is still physically operated by Ukrainian staff, Rosatom manages it. The Ministry of Energy warned Rostrom in its letter that any Russian citizen or entity handling U.S. technology is “illegal”.
CNN has contacted Rosatom for comment.
Satellite image shows changes in Russia’s occupation of nuclear power plants
“Under U.S. law against non-authorized persons is illegal, including but not limited to Russian citizens and Russian entities.” Export, shop, grab, review, re-export, transport, transfer, copy, manipulate, Manipulate such technology or technical data, or directly or authorize others to do the same thing without such a Russian entity becoming the authorized recipient energy of the Secretary of the U.S. Department. ”
It is not clear whether Rostrom has responded to the letter. The National Nuclear Safety Administration of the Department of Energy told CNN in a statement that the letter was true.
The letters were first reported by the news media RBC Ukraine.
“The National Nuclear Safety Administration of the Ministry of Energy can confirm that the letter is legal,” said Shayela Hassan, deputy deputy director of public affairs at the National Nuclear Safety Administration.
She added: “The Minister of Energy has a statutory responsibility to authorize the transfer of unclassified civil nuclear technology and assistance to foreign atomic energy activities. The DOE does not comment on regulatory activities.”
Another letter from Ferkile, reviewed by CNN, to the Inspector General of the Ministry of Energy, dated October 24, 2022, outlines the technology that the United States has exported to Ukraine for use in the Zaporizhzhia Plant, and reiterates that the department “has no current authorization” The record transfers this technology and technical data to any Russian country or entity.”
The Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy Office has been publicizing U.S. support for the plant and said on its website in June 2021 that “the United States has helped implement new maintenance procedures and operations on reactors that will ultimately strengthen. Energy security” Ukraine.
Correction: Previous versions of this story were wrongly attributed to the news media that first reported letters. That’s Royal Bank of Canada Ukraine.
