The temporarily occupied Zaporizhia NPP has transferred power unit No. 4 to a hot shutdown mode despite the requirements of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine and National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom, the company's press service said on Monday evening.

"Such actions are a gross violation of the requirements of the license for the operation of a nuclear installation. Now the operation of power unit No. 4 of Zaporizhia NPP should be carried out solely in the cold shutdown mode," the company said in the statement.

Energoatom said after Russia undermined the dam of Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant on June 6 and the virtual disappearance of Kakhovka reservoir, there were real risks of insufficient replenishment of the nuclear power plant with cooling water.

"This blocks ZNPP ability to operate at capacity, and the Russian occupation administration of the plant and representatives of Rosatom are aware of this. This means that this is an undoubted risk for nuclear and radiation safety due to the long idle time of the power unit equipment, the lack of proper routine maintenance and repair of equipment," the company said.

According to Energoatom President Petro Kotin, using the strategic facility as a military base and making such decisions to put the reactor into the hot shutdown mode, the occupation administration violates all nuclear and radiation safety standards for the plant.

Energoatom called on the IAEA to take measures to influence the occupying administration of ZNPP to transfer all power units of the plant to the cold shutdown mode and distribute a corresponding note among the member countries of the agency.

In addition, the company applied to the General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine due to the commission of illegal actions containing signs of criminal offenses in terms of a number of articles of the Criminal Code on violation of nuclear or radiation safety rules, violation of the rules for handling explosive or radioactive materials, as well as terrorism.