Zaporizhzhia plant disconnected from grid but operating safely – IAEA Zelensky warns of near-nuclear ‘catastrophe’ Kyiv reports battlefield gains, including the city of Kherson province European markets were hit hard by the shutdown of the Russian natural gas pipeline
KYIV, Sept 6 (Reuters) – The U.N. nuclear watchdog is due to issue a report on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Tuesday, a day after bombing knocked out power for the second time in two weeks and sparked fears of disaster . . Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of risking disaster by bombing near Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which officials said cut power lines on Monday and shut down its only remaining reactor. The fresh concern about the plant came as Ukrainian forces pressed their counterattacks to the south and east, raising the national flag over a town in Kherson province, a southern region held by Russia since the early days of the war. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), citing information provided by Ukraine, said the plant’s backup power line had been cut to extinguish a fire, but that the line itself was not damaged and would be reconnected. The UN nuclear watchdog said the plant had enough electricity to operate safely and would be reconnected to the grid once back-up power was restored. The IAEA’s presence at the plant was reduced to two staff members from six on Monday. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi will issue a report on Ukraine, including the plant, on Tuesday and then brief the UN Security Council, the IAEA said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned on Monday of a near “radioactive disaster” and said the bombing showed Russia “doesn’t care what the IAEA has to say.” The fate of the nuclear plant has become a new element in an energy battle between Russia and the West since Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24 as the military conflict continues. European gas prices soared on Monday as Russia kept its main gas pipeline to Germany shut, raising fears of a bleak winter for consumers and businesses across the continent. Russia blames a halt in equipment repairs and maintenance caused by Western sanctions for disrupting the flow of natural gas through Nord Stream 1, its main pipeline to Germany. Russia was due to reopen the pipeline on Saturday, but now says an oil spill has forced it to shut down indefinitely. Deputy CEO of pipeline operator Gazprom ( GAZP.MM ) Vitaly Markelov told Reuters on Tuesday that Nord Stream 1 would not resume shipments until Siemens Energy ( ENR1n.DE ) repairs the faulty equipment. read more Siemens Energy said on Saturday that it had not been tasked with making repairs and that the leak reported by Gazprom would not normally affect the operation of the pipeline. Europe and the United States accuse Russia of using energy as a weapon and are working together to secure supplies. read more Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Sulginov told reporters at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Tuesday that Moscow would respond to proposed price caps for Russian oil by sending more supplies to Asia. The Kremlin warned the West on Monday that it would retaliate after Group of Seven finance ministers agreed last week to a ceiling to pressure Russia over its actions in Ukraine.
‘A MATTER OF TIME’
Kyiv on Monday made its boldest claim of battlefield success in its week-long counteroffensive against Russian forces in the south, releasing images of its soldiers raising the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine on a rooftop, believed to be in Vysokopylya, in north of Kherson. “We will renew our territory. We cannot freeze this conflict now. We must gradually de-occupy our territory,” Zelensky said in an interview with ABC News. “It’s only a matter of time.” Ukraine’s general staff said Russian forces were concentrated in five regions: Donetsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia and Mykolaiv. It said that over the past day Russian forces had launched more than 35 airstrikes and about 50 rocket attacks. “The Russian occupiers started on the night of September 5-6 with insidious rocket attacks on civilian objects in the cities of Bakhmut and Kostiantynivka,” it said. The general staff also accused Russian forces of endangering kindergartens, places of worship and a field hospital by placing personnel and military equipment in and around those buildings. Russia denies targeting civilians. Ukraine said its forces also pushed back Russian troops in Soledar, Zaitsevo, Shakhta Butivka and Spartak and its air force had launched more than 30 strikes. Reuters could not independently verify reports on the battlefield. In a rare admission of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, the TASS news agency on Monday quoted an official based in Moscow in the Kherson region as saying that plans for a referendum on joining Russia had been put on hold because of the security situation. US President Joe Biden said on Monday that Russia should not be designated a state sponsor of terrorism, a step that Ukraine has pushed for but Russia has warned would sever ties with the United States. US intelligence agencies have estimated that Russia is buying artillery ammunition from North Korea as sanctions begin to reduce its ability to maintain what it calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine, the New York Times reported. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Reporting by Tom Balmforth, Max Hunder and Ron Popeski. Written by Susan Heavey and Stephen Coates. Edited by Michael Perry Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
