The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Monday that it took control over Ukraine's Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, the largest in Europe.
Russian military claimed it took control of the cities of Energodar and Berdyansk and the territory around the power plant, Major General Igor Konashenkov, the representative of the Russian Defense Ministry said in an official statement.
"The NPP staff continues to work on maintenance of facilities and monitoring of the radioactive situation in the normal mode. The radioactive background is normal," Konashenkov said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Russia informed the body that its forces took control over the plant, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Wednesday.
In an official letter to the Director General dated Tuesday, the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the International Organizations in Vienna also said personnel at the plant continued their “work on providing nuclear safety and monitoring radiation in normal mode of operation. The radiation levels remain normal.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Ukraine informed the IAEA that all its nuclear power plants remained under the control of the national operator, the IAEA said on Wednesday.
In an update on Wednesday, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine informed the IAEA that it maintained communications with the country's nuclear facilities and that they continued to operate normally.
The Zaporozhye plant contains six out of the country's 15 nuclear energy reactors, according to the IAEA.
Ukraine has not released a statement confirming or denying Russia's claims.
—ABC News' Tanya Stukalova
