‘My shift lasted 600 hours’: Chernobyl engineer trapped in nuclear plant under Russian control

Liudmyla Kozak, an engineer at the Chernobyl nuclear plant, claims she worked for 600 hours straight while it was under Russian control. She and other overnight staff were working at the plant when Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Russian troops occupied Chernobyl by nightfall on the first day and used it as a temporary base for rest, according to Kozak. After 25 days, she was relieved of her duties to rest and Russian troops eventually left Chernobyl, which is back under Ukraine’s control.