MOSCOW (AFP) - Pro-Moscow officials in Ukraine said on Thursday (June 2) a decree had been issued to "nationalise" state property in the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia.

The decree has been signed by officials installed by Moscow in the area which is partially controlled by Moscow.

"The liberated region of Zaporizhzhia will nationalise the state property of Ukraine," said Vladimir Rogov, a member of the region's pro-Moscow military-civilian administration.

"The corresponding decree was signed by the head of the military-civilian administration of the region," he said on messaging app Telegram.

Zaporizhzhia's nuclear plant is the largest in Europe.

In March, Russian soldiers took control of the plant in the city of Energodar, separated by the Dnipro river from the regional capital, Zaporizhzhia, which is still under Kyiv's control.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine on Feb 24 but Moscow has repeatedly stressed it is not seeking to occupy Ukrainian territories.

In May, Putin however signed a decree simplifying the procedure to obtain a Russian passport for residents of the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Moscow officials have said both regions could become part of Russia.