Three years in captivity - Chernobyl defender recounts Russian attitudes.

The defender of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP), Oleksandr, who spent 3 years in Russian captivity, shared details about how he and other captives were held in custody. 'I was performing military tasks related to the guarding and defense of ChNPP. I was on duty when the full-scale invasion began. All Russian troops heading to Kyiv entered through our station. There were a very large number of planes, helicopters. Because we were left alone there, we had no opportunity to physically fight them. After all, we had no strength or means for that. There were 171 of us, we only had firearms and small ammunition packs,' Oleksandr stated.

After the attack on the ChNPP, 330 openings were discovered, and the main crane system of the NPP also suffered damage. The Ministry of Finance has estimated the cost of restoring the protective shelter above the fourth reactor block of the ChNPP, which was damaged by the Russians in February 2025.

It is important to note that Oleksandr shared his impressions of being in captivity and revealed details of the Russian military's invasion of the ChNPP territory. This testimony is significant for understanding the events during the conflict and the consequences for Ukrainian facilities.