Russians, Ukrainians again trade blame for new shelling near nuclear power plant

KYIV, Aug 15 (Reuters) – Ukrainian and Russian-installed officers reported shelling near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine on Monday, with either side blaming one another after the International Atomic Energy Agency warned of catastrophe if the preventing doesn’t cease.

Russia and Ukraine have traded accusations of shelling near the plant in current days amid fears of a nuclear disaster on the complicated, which dominates the south financial institution of an enormous reservoir on the Dnipro River.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned Russian troopers who assault Europe’s largest nuclear power station or use it as a base to shoot from that they’ll grow to be a “special target”.

The plant is within the now Russian-controlled metropolis of Enerhodar.

Yevhen Yevtushenko, head of the administration of the Nikopol district, which lies throughout the river from Enerhodar, blamed Russian forces for shelling the town.

Vladimir Rogov, a Russia-installed official within the metropolis, stated that over the previous two hours about 25 heavy artillery strikes from U.S.-made M777 howitzers had hit near the nuclear plant and residential areas.

Russia’s Interfax information company, quoting the press service of Enerhodar’s Russian-appointed administration, stated Ukrainian forces opened fireplace, with blasts near the power plant.

The IAEA, which is in search of entry to the plant, has warned of attainable catastrophe. Nuclear specialists concern preventing may injury the plant’s spent gas swimming pools or reactors.

“The Russians think they can force the world to comply with their conditions by shelling the Zaporizhzhia NPP (nuclear power plant),” Andriy Yermak, chief of the Ukrainian presidential workers, wrote on Twitter. “This will not happen. Instead, our military will punish them by hard hitting with precision on pain points.”

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has referred to as for the institution of a demilitarised zone round Zaporizhzhia.

A spokeswoman for Russia’s international ministry stated on Monday it will do all it might to permit IAEA specialists to go to the plant. learn extra

“In close cooperation with the agency and its leadership, we will do everything necessary for the IAEA specialists to be at the station and give a truthful assessment of the destructive actions of the Ukrainian side,” spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated.

‘COMPLICATED BUT UNDER CONTROL’

Ukraine, the place parliament on Monday prolonged martial legislation for an extra three months, has stated for weeks it’s planning a counteroffensive to recapture Zaporizhzhia and neighbouring Kherson province, the biggest a part of the territory Russia seized after its Feb. 24 invasion and nonetheless holds.

Ukrainian forces earlier reported heavy Russian shelling and makes an attempt to advance on a number of cities within the japanese area of Donetsk that has grow to be a key focus of the near six-month-old battle, however stated they’d repelled most of the assaults.

The General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces additionally reported Russian shelling of greater than a dozen cities on the southern entrance – significantly the Kherson area, primarily held by Russian forces however the place Ukrainian troops are steadily retaking territory.

Natalia Humeniuk, spokesperson for Ukraine’s southern navy command, stated on Monday the state of affairs was sophisticated however below management. “The enemy doesn’t dare advance by land, but fires at the territories in the rear with artillery and rockets,” she advised a information briefing.

Asked about Ukraine’s shelling on Sunday of the Antonivskyi Bridge within the Kherson area, she stated Ukrainian forces have been persevering with to fireside on routes utilized by the Russians for provides.

Russia calls its invasion of Ukraine a “special military operation” to demilitarise its smaller neighbour and shield Russian-speaking communities. Ukraine and Western backers accuse Moscow of waging an imperial-style battle of conquest.

The battle has pushed Moscow-Washington relations to a low level, with Russia warning it might sever them.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Monday that Moscow was prepared to supply trendy weapons to its allies. He used a speech at an arms present near Moscow to boast of Russia’s superior weapons capabilities.

“(We) are ready to offer our allies the most modern types of weapons, from small arms to armoured vehicles and artillery to combat aviation and unmanned aerial vehicles,” Putin stated on the opening ceremony of the “Army-2022” discussion board.

“Almost all of them have been used more than once in real combat operations.” learn extra

But Putin’s navy has carried out worse than anticipated in Ukraine. Having been overwhelmed again from Ukraine’s two greatest cities and making gradual headway, at heavy price, within the east of the nation, the battle has to this point not proved to be a convincing showcase for Russia’s arms business.

Reporting by Natalia Zinets in Kyiv, Yoruk Isik and Ece Toksabay in Istanbul, Andrea Shalal in Yuzhne, Maya Gebeily in Beirut and Jonathan Saul in London, and Reuters bureaux; Writing by Lincoln Feast and Nick Macfie; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Alex Richardson

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