The UN atomic watchdog head warned of a “major nuclear accident” after a new drone attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Sunday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called the attack “reckless” after an explosion near the reactor building and a hit on the dome of the plant’s sixth power unit. This is the first such attack on Zaporizhzhia power plant since November 2022 in military action.
“This is a major escalation of the nuclear safety and security dangers facing the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Such reckless attacks significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident and must cease immediately,” IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
At least one casualty is also suspected as blood stains were found by an IAEA team outside a laboratory next to a damaged military logistics vehicle.
This comes as Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Ukraine will lose the war against Russia if the US Congress does not approve military aid to help repel Moscow’s invasion.
“It is necessary to specifically tell Congress that if Congress does not help Ukraine, Ukraine will lose the war,” he said.
People asked to stay indoors after Russia’s attack pollutes air in Zhytomyr
The Zvyahel city council in Ukraine’s Zhytomyr region urged people early today to stay indoors after Russia’s air attack on an infrastructure object resulted in air pollution.
“Russia struck an infrastructure object of the community overnight,” the city council said on Telegram.
“There are no casualties among the civilian population. Currently, there is a direct threat of air pollution, so it is recommended to stay indoors with closed windows.”
Arpan Rai8 April 2024 07:04
Ukrainian man who helped Russia target missile strike on pizzeria jailed for life
Alexander Butler8 April 2024 07:00
Russia’s Lavrov lands in China to talk Ukraine, Asia-Pacific
Russia’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov arrived in China today for talks on the war in Ukraine, bilateral ties, and the situation in the Asia-Pacific region, the Russian foreign ministry said.
The Russian foreign minister will talk with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on a series of “hot topics” that will also include joint cooperation in international organisations, such as the United Nations and the Group of 20 (G20), Moscow had said earlier.
Earlier, Russian president Vladimir Putin was expected to travel to China in May for talks with Chinese president Xi Jinping, in what could be the Kremlin chief’s first overseas trip of his new presidential term.
Arpan Rai8 April 2024 06:38
Ukraine military chief’s chilling warning to the West about Russia’s threat
Speaking to The Independent from an undisclosed location in Donetsk, deputy commander of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade, Maksym Zhorin, issued a troubling warning to Kyiv’s Western partners.
The West, he said, must urgently prepare. “Create serious defence systems that could counteract Russia because it will undoubtedly open its mouth and try to swallow the rest of Europe,” he warned.
Arpan Rai8 April 2024 06:07
Finland to keep border with Russia closed until further notice
Alexander Butler8 April 2024 06:00
Russia attacks Ukraine with 24 drones overnight, says Kyiv
At least two dozen Russian drones attacked Ukraine overnight, targeting chiefly critical infrastructure in the country’s south and east, Ukraine’s air force said today.
Of these, the air force destroyed 17 of the Iranian-produced Shahed drones Russia used in its attack, over the regions of Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kirovohrad, Khmelnytskyi and Zhytomyr, the air force said.
Ukrainian Air Force also destroyed a Russia-launched Kh-59 guided air missile over the Dnipropetrovsk region, it said.
Another four drones were destroyed over the southern region of Odesa, said Oleh Kiper, the regional governor.
“A logistics and transport facility was damaged,” Mr Kiper added on Telegram. “A gas station was also damaged by the wreckage of a downed Shahed.”
There were no casualties in the attack, he added.
Arpan Rai8 April 2024 05:57
Zelensky pleads with West for ammunition: ‘Patriots must now be in Ukraine’
Volodymyr Zelensky is urging its allies in the West to help with ammunition supplies, pointing to the increasing attacks from Russia in Kharkiv.
“The situation in Kharkiv is very harsh. Russian terror is constant. Russians began using guided aerial bombs against the city almost daily. We are looking for ways to increase Kharkiv’s ability to protect the sky,” the war-time president said in his nightly address.
Mr Zelensky’s plea comes at a time Ukraine is struggling with fighting back against Russian invasion, especially with intensified attacks in the recent weeks.
“This is a task for both our military and diplomats, who are in charge of international communication and must maintain daily dialogue with partners. Ukraine clearly lacks sufficient air defence systems, and this is evident to all of our partners,” Mr Zelensky said.
He added: “There are air defence systems around the world that can help. Only political will is required to transfer them to Ukraine. I am grateful to the countries that have already helped.”
“Patriots” must now be in Ukraine, so there will be no need to use them on Nato’s entire eastern flank in the future, the Ukrainian president said.
Arpan Rai8 April 2024 05:34
Editorial: Western leaders face hard choices to help Ukraine resist Putin’s aggression
The overwhelming majority of the British people stand with the Ukrainian people in their time of need. The Ukrainians’ brave resistance against Vladimir Putin’s aggression meets all the tests of a just war, and it is in our national interest that Putin should not succeed.
Now, however, we are coming to the hard part. Two years have passed since the Russian attempt to take Kyiv, and the balance of the war has started to shift in Putin’s favour. Ukrainian forces have had to retreat from Avdiivka, close by Donetsk, the capital of one of the eastern provinces claimed by Putin.
How should Ukraine and its allies respond to this setback? The Independent carries two exclusive articles that point the way. One, by Lord Sedwill, the former cabinet secretary, argues that Britain and its European allies must increase defence spending. The other, an interview with Maksym Zhorin, the Ukrainian commander who led the retreat from Avdiivka, sets out a warning about what will happen if we do not.
Arpan Rai8 April 2024 05:27
Ukraine says it ‘nothing to do with incidents’ at Zaporizhzhia power plant
A Ukrainian intelligence official said Kyiv has nothing to do with incidents at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after Russia accused Kyiv of attacking the facility.
“Ukraine is not involved in any kind of armed provocations on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant illegally occupied by Russia,” Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, told the Ukrainska Pravda media outlet.
“Russian strikes, including imitation ones, on the territory of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant have long been a well known criminal practice of the invaders,” he said.
Arpan Rai8 April 2024 05:03
Russia and West join forces to tackle trade in ‘blood diamonds’ despite feud over Moscow’s diamonds
Alexander Butler8 April 2024 05:00