Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claims Moscow was protecting the nuclear plant.
Russian troops seized the facility, where radioactive waste is still stored, on February 24, the first day of the invasion of Ukraine. The withdrawal comes a day after Moscow officials announced Russia would scale back operations in two Ukrainian cities.AFP reported, citing an unnamed U.S. defense official, that Russia has begun pulling its troops out of the defunct nuclear power site after seizing control of the facility on Feb. 24.
Russian troops also seized Zaporizhzhia, Europe's largest nuclear plant, on March 4, sparking great alarm when Russian shelling started a fire at the facility. "We have repeatedly reported to the international public that the Russian military has taken under its protection the Chernobyl and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants with the express purpose of preventing terrorist attacks," Zakharova said.
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