Putin to attend via video link inauguration, Thursday, of Turkiye first nuclear power plant

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, will attend the inauguration ceremony of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Turkiye via video link, Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on Wednesday, Anadolu News Agency reports.

“It will be in the format of a video-conference,” Peskov told reporters at a press conference in Moscow, referring to the first Turkish nuclear power facility built in collaboration with Russia’s state nuclear energy company, Rosatom, and set to open on Thursday (April 27).

The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in southern Mersin province will be the country’s first nuclear plant, with an installed capacity of 4,800 megawatts and four reactors.

The project began with a 2010 inter-governmental agreement between Turkiye and Russia, with the entire plant expected to be operational by 2025.

Kremlin spokesman, Peskov, in response to a question about a letter from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Putin about the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, said it was received through diplomatic channels and is being considered.

READ: Turkiye on track to complete first nuclear power plant this year

However, he warned the UK about the liability related to the delivery of depleted uranium ammunition to Ukraine, and those who intend to use it.

“The British should understand that they will have to bear responsibility. And, of course, those who will directly use such ammunition should understand that they will not only cause irreparable harm to themselves and their citizens, they will also have to bear responsibility for it,” he stressed.

Commenting on the presidential decree introducing external management to two foreign companies in Russia, Peskov said it is a response to “aggressive actions of unfriendly countries, aimed at creating a legal framework for the seizure of assets of Russian companies abroad.”

He said some states proceeded from external management to confiscating the property of Russian companies.

“This decree does not put in question the ownership and does not deprive owners of their assets, external management is temporary and means the only thing – the original owner no longer has the right to make management decisions,” he noted.

Peskov added that the list of companies to which the decree applies may be extended.

Putin is closely monitoring the situation with wildfires, including in Sverdlovsk region, where 134 living houses were burnt on Tuesday, he said.​​​​​​​

READ: Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) to join countries producing energy from nuclear sources