Moment of the explosion at Enerhodar near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
The physical integrity of Ukraine’s Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant had been breached amid heavy shelling from both sides, UN nuclear agency chief Rafael Grossi said on Thursday.
“It’s obvious that the plant and the physical integrity of the plant has been violated multiple times … this is something that cannot continue to happen,” Dr Grossi said.
Vehicles carrying members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection mission were seen driving on roads outside the city of Zaporizhzhia as the team visited the largest nuclear facility in Europe after a long wait.
The head of the nuclear watchdog said he would continue to worry about the tense situation at the nuclear power plant until the fighting stabilizes.
Heavy fighting in the Zaporizhzhia region was not stopped by the visit of the top UN official, whose team ignored nearby gunfire to inspect the power plant on Thursday. Experts are likely to remain at the facility for a few days.
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Heavy fighting and shelling continue near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
Heavy fighting continues in southern Ukraine, including shelling in the Enerhodar district near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said today.
He added that the Kremlin has gone ahead with the Vostok 22 military exercise, an annual joint strategic exercise affair, marking the culmination of a year of military training even as its war in Ukraine unfolds.
“Russia has publicly stated that 50,000 troops will participate, but it is unlikely that more than 15,000 troops will be actively participating this year. That is about 20% of the forces that participated in the last Vostok exercise in 2018” , the British Ministry of Defense said today.
He added that Russia’s military performance in Ukraine has highlighted that its “strategic military exercises, such as Vostok, have failed to sustain the military’s ability to conduct large-scale complex operations.”
These events are heavily scripted, do not encourage initiative and are primarily aimed at impressing Russian leaders and the international public, the ministry said.
Arpan Rai 2 September 2022 07:04
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More than 100 Russian soldiers were killed in the last 24 hours, according to Ukraine
More than 100 Russian soldiers have been killed in the past 24 hours, Ukrainian military officials said Friday morning.
A total of 102 Russian soldiers have been killed, while six tanks, an Msta-B howitzer, a Grad multiple rocket launcher, a 120mm mobile mortar, eight armored vehicles and five ammunition depots were destroyed on September 1, the operational command of Ukraine. south said
Ukrainian forces also hit a drone checkpoint and a ferry crossing in the south, military officials added.
Arpan Rai September 2, 2022 6:36 am
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Russian bombing continues in Kharkiv
Ukrainian officials confirmed this morning the shelling by Russian forces in the city of Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine.
The shelling was reported from Kholodnohirskyi district around 6 am by Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
At least four cars have been damaged but no casualties have been reported so far, according to initial information.
Arpan Rai 2 September 2022 06:25
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The physical integrity of the nuclear power plant has been violated, says the UN inspector
Officials from the UN atomic watchdog who visited the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant said the physical integrity of Europe’s critical infrastructure has been damaged.
“It’s obvious that the plant and the physical integrity of the plant has been violated, multiple times … this is something that cannot continue to happen,” said the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Doctor Rafael Grossi.
The IAEA team arrived at the power plant site after being delayed by several hours due to heavy shelling in the region. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, captured by Russia within days of the invasion, has been witnessing heavy gunfire from both sides, Ukraine and Russia, for months.
“This morning the situation was quite difficult, but … having come this far, it was not going to stop,” said Dr. Grossi, who came uncomfortably close to the shot.
“There were times when the fire was evident, heavy machine guns, artillery mortars, in two or three times (it was) really very worrying, I would say for all of us,” he said.
Arpan Rai September 2, 2022 6:01 am
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3 dead and 5 injured in Ukraine’s Enerhodar
At least three people have been killed and five wounded in a Ukrainian shelling of Enerhodar, the governor of the Russian-based Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Yevgeny Balitsky, said.
A residential building was also hit by shelling in Russian-held Enerhodar on the Dnipro River and witnesses reported soldiers running with helicopters flying overhead. The victims of the bombings were not immediately clear.
Ukrainian officials reported heavy shelling late yesterday and said a dozen southern cities had been targeted by Russia, including regions such as Kharkiv in the north and Donetsk in the east.
Arpan Rai September 2, 2022 5:44 am
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Zelensky calls for demilitarization, full control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for all troops to be withdrawn from the critical site of the Enerhodar nuclear power plant as a group of UN nuclear agency officials visited the Zaporizhzhia plant on Thursday.
He said the nuclear power plant will only be fully operational again after the Russian army has finally left the territory, “when they take away their weapons, ammunition, when they stop bombing Enerhodar and neighboring areas and stop their provocations.”
Zelensky added: “And the key thing that should happen is the demilitarization of the territory of the plant. This is exactly the goal of Ukrainian and international efforts. And it is bad that we have not yet heard the timely calls of the IAEA.”
Claiming that the IAEA has not helped Ukraine by calling for demilitarization, the Ukrainian president said: “Although we have discussed this with Mr. Grossi. [IAEA chief] at our meeting in Kyiv. That was the key, the key! – security point of our agreements. It was clearly stated: demilitarization and full control by Ukrainian nuclear specialists.”
On the Russian side, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was doing everything it could to ensure the plant could operate safely and that IAEA inspectors could complete their tasks.
Arpan Rai 2 September 2022 05:22
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Good morning! Welcome to our coverage of the war in Ukraine for Friday, September 2.
Arpan Rai September 2, 2022 4:44 am