Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the government in Moscow to nationalize the Ukrainian nuclear power plant at Zaporizhia, which is occupied by his troops.

"The government is instructed to ensure that objects for the use of nuclear energy from the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and other property necessary for its operation are taken into state ownership," reads the decree published on Wednesday. The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

Russia has effectively controlled the nuclear power plant since the beginning of March, when Moscow's troops occupied large parts of southern Ukraine as part of the war of aggression. The power plant has come under fire several times during heavy fighting in recent months and even had to be shut down.

Ukraine and Russia blame each other for the damage. The shelling has sparked international concerns of a nuclear catastrophe.

Russia recently annexed four Ukrainian regions, including the Zaporizhia region, where the nuclear power plant is located, in a procedure that violates international law. Despite threats from Russia, Ukraine has declared that it will continue to fight for the liberation of all its regions.