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Head of Ukraine's Energoatom says he's taking charge of Russian-occupied nuclear plant

FILE PHOTO: Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant near Enerhodar

KYIV (Reuters) - The head of Ukraine's state nuclear energy company said on Wednesday he was taking charge of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, and urged workers at the plant not to sign any documents with its Russian occupiers.

Energoatom chief Petro Kotin made his comments in a video address posted on the Telegram messaging app despite Russia saying it plans to supervise the plant's operations.

The video address followed the brief detention by Russian forces of the Ukrainian who had been in charge of the plant, where Ukrainian staff are still working.

"All further decisions regarding the operation of the station will be made directly at the central office of Energoatom," Kotin said. "We will continue to work under Ukrainian law, within the Ukrainian energy system, within Energoatom."

(Reporting by Max Hunder, Editing by Timothy Heritage)