Fierce fighting continues in southern Ukraine, including shelling in the Enerhodar region, near the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the British Ministry of Defense said today. He added that the Kremlin went ahead with the Vostok 22 military exercise – an annual joint strategic exercise – marking the culmination of a year of military training, even as the war in Ukraine unfolds. It comes as 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 Dr Raphael Grossi said on Thursday. “It’s clear that the plant and the physical integrity of the plant has been compromised, 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 zooming past on roads outside the city of Zaporizhzhia as the team visited Europe’s largest nuclear facility after a long wait. The head of the nuclear watchdog said he would continue to be concerned about the tense situation at the nuclear plant until the fighting stabilizes. Specialists are likely to remain at the facility for a few days.
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The IAEA mission could still be important despite the Russian military presence, Zelensky says
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant could still be important despite difficulties encountered due to Russia’s presence at the site, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today. “We have done everything to ensure that the IAEA gets access to the Zaporizhia plant, and I believe that this mission may still have a role to play,” Zelensky said in a video broadcast to the European House, Ambrosetti Forum meeting in the north Italy. Ukraine’s state nuclear company earlier on Friday said the IAEA mission had not been allowed into the crisis center of the plant, where Ukraine says Russian troops are stationed, and would find it difficult to make an impartial assessment of the situation, Reuters reports . “Unfortunately, we did not hear the main thing from the IAEA which is the call from Russia to demilitarize the station,” Zelensky said. “I hope that the mission will comply with what we have agreed and that it will serve the interests of the entire international community.” He added that if the power plant could return to operation safely, then Ukraine could help with the energy crisis in Europe. Joe Middleton2 September 2022 09:37 1662105194
Footage claims to show explosions in northern Ukraine near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
The mayor of Enerhodar said “continuous mortar attacks” hit the Ukrainian city, near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, on the morning of Thursday, September 1. Dmytro Orlov claimed in a Telegram post that Russian shelling hit the “pre-agreed route” of the UN IAEA mission to the Zaporizhia plant, leading to the shutdown of a power plant. Russian news agency Interfax reported that shelling hit residential buildings, a kindergarten and parked cars. They suffered an unknown number of casualties from the attack. Footage circulating on Twitter claims to show explosions in the city that day.
Footage claims to show explosions in northern Ukraine near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
The mayor of Enerhodar said “continuous mortar attacks” hit the Ukrainian city, near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, on the morning of Thursday, September 1. Dmytro Orlov claimed in a Telegram post that Russian shelling hit the “pre-agreed route” of the UN IAEA Mission to the Zaporizhzhia plant, leading to the shutdown of a power plant. Russian news agency Interfax reported that shelling hit residential buildings, a kindergarten and parked cars. An unknown number of casualties were sustained in the attack. Footage circulating on Twitter claims to show explosions in the city that day. Subscribe to our newsletters. Joe Middleton2 September 2022 08:53 1662103872
G7 plans price cap on Russian oil
Group of Seven finance ministers are expected to confirm plans on Friday to impose a price cap on Russian oil aimed at reducing revenue for Moscow’s war in Ukraine but keeping crude flowing to avoid price rises , G7 officials said. Ministers from the club of rich industrialized democracies are due to meet virtually and are expected to issue a communiqué setting out their implementation plans. “A deal is possible,” a European G7 official said, adding that it was unclear how many details would be revealed, such as the level of the price ceiling per barrel above which compliant countries would refuse to insure and finance Russian oil. crude and oil product cargoes. British Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi said Thursday in Washington that he hoped G7 finance ministers “will have a statement that means we can move forward with pace to achieve this.” “We want to get past this oil price cap,” he said at a Washington think tank event a day after discussing the cap with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Despite a drop in Russia’s oil export volume, its oil export revenue in June rose by $700 million from May as prices were pushed higher by the war in Ukraine, the International Energy Agency said last month. The G7 consists of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. Some officials in the bloc said the cap needed broader support and questioned whether it could be successful without the participation of major oil consumers China and India, which are unlikely to approve the plan. But other G7 officials said China and India have expressed interest in buying Russian oil at an even lower price under the cap. Joe Middleton2 September 2022 08:31 1662101576
The cargo ship carrying corn from Ukraine docks in Istanbul
A cargo ship carrying more than 3,000 tons (3,307 tons) of corn from Ukraine was towed to dock in Istanbul on Friday after briefly running aground, a shipping agency said, the first such incident under a United Nations-brokered export deal. . Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber reported that traffic in the Bosphorus strait had reopened after the disruption caused by the grounding of the 173m Lady Zehma due to a rudder failure around 18:00 GMT. Shipping agency Tribeca said the Lady Zehma’s towing and salvage operation began at 21:10 GMT and dropped anchor in the southern Bosphorus anchorage at 23:30 GMT. No one was injured in the incident, the Istanbul governor’s office said. At the time of the grounding, the ship’s bow was about 150 meters from the shore in the busy Bebek neighborhood, according to a witness and Refinitiv Eikon data. Maritime data showed the ship was anchored in the Sea of Marmara, just off the coast of Istanbul, on Friday morning. Ukraine’s grain exports fell after Russia invaded the country on February 24 and blockaded its Black Sea ports, raising global food prices and raising fears of shortages in Africa and the Middle East, Reuters reports. Three ports were unblocked under the agreement signed on July 22 by Moscow and Kyiv and brokered by the UN and Ankara. Joe Middleton2 September 2022 07:52 1662099948
Norwegian energy company Equinor completes exit from Moscow
Norwegian energy company Equinor said on Friday it had completed its exit from Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, keeping a promise made in February, Reuters reports. This marks the first full, orderly exit from Russia by an international oil and gas company, as pressure mounts on others, such as TotalEnergies and Exxon Mobil, to exit as well. Equinor on February 28 said it would start the process of divesting from joint ventures in Russia, describing its position as “untenable” due to the outbreak of war last week. Equinor has since had one asset to divest, a stake in the Arctic Kharyaga oil field, which is operated by Russia’s Zarubezhneft and in which TotalEnergies is a partner. “Equinor can now confirm that the full exit from Kharyaga has also been completed,” Equinor said in a statement. “After exiting Kharyaga, Equinor has no remaining assets or projects in Russia.” Joe Middleton2 September 2022 07:25 1662098652
Fierce fighting, shelling continue near Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
Fierce fighting continues in southern Ukraine, including shelling in the Enerhodar region, near the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the British Ministry of Defense said today. He added that the Kremlin went ahead with the Vostok 22 military exercise – an annual joint strategic exercise – marking the culmination of a year of military training, even as the war in Ukraine unfolds. “Russia has publicly claimed that 50,000 troops will take part, however, it is unlikely that more than 15,000 people will be actively involved this year. This is around 20% of the forces that took part in the last Vostok exercise in 2018,” the UK Foreign Office said today. He added that Russia’s military performance in Ukraine has highlighted that “its strategic military exercises, such as Vostok, have failed to maintain the military’s ability to conduct large-scale, complex operations.” Such events are largely scripted, do not encourage initiative and are primarily aimed at impressing Russian leaders and the international public, the ministry claimed. Arpan Rai 2 September 2022 07:04 1662096977
More than 100 Russian soldiers killed in past 24 hours, Ukraine says
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 were 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, according to Ukraine’s operational command, the south. Ukrainian…
