Summary
As the time approaches 8pm in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, here is the summary of today’s news from the war.
Attacks on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are “playing with fire”, the UN nuclear watchdog’s director general has said. It comes after a series of explosions in the area overnight, which damaged buildings and equipment. The International Atomic Energy Agency said none of the blasts had been “critical” for nuclear safety and security. But its boss, Rafael Grossi, said that whoever was behind the attacks, “it must stop immediately”, adding: “You’re playing with fire.”
Ukraine and Russia blame each other for the attacks The Ukrainian operator of the nuclear power plant said on Telegram that Russian forces were behind “targeted” shelling on Saturday night and Sunday morning. The Russian nuclear power operator Rosenergoatom had earlier accused Ukraine of shelling at the plant, which is under Russian occupation.
Ukraine will investigate footage that is said to show its forces killing Russian troops Moscow has said the videos, which are circulating on social media, show Ukrainian soldiers killing Russian soldiers as they tried to surrender. Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, said Ukrainian authorities would investigate the footage but it was “very unlikely” that the clips showed what Russia claims.
Negotiating with Russia would be “capitulation”, a key adviser to the Ukrainian presidency has said. Mykhaylo Podolyak said attempts by the west to urge Ukraine to negotiate with Moscow were “bizarre” given a series of major military victories by Kyiv. He added it would mean that a country “that recovers its territories must capitulate to the country that is losing”. The comments come after recent US media reports that some senior officials were beginning to encourage Ukraine to consider talks.
Nearly 45,000 criminal proceedings have been initiated over crimes allegedly committed by Russian service personnel during the invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian national police have said. An update published on Sunday said 47 places have been discovered where Russian forces are accused of illegally detaining and torturing Ukrainian. They include in liberated regions including Sumy, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson and Mykolaiv.
There are more signs of life starting to return to a modicum of normality in Kherson as supermarkets are reopening. ATB, a 24/7 shop in the city, had queues of people outside on Sunday as it welcomed customers back. The city was recently recaptured by Ukrainian forces after a Russian retreat.
France has sent another two air defence systems to Ukraine, along with two multiple rocket launchers, according to an interview given by a French defence minister.
That’s all for today, thanks for following along.
Updated
France has sent another two air defence systems to Ukraine, along with two multiple rocket launchers, according to an interview given by a French defence minister.
Sébastien Lecornu told the Sunday newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche that Paris was considering a request for radars.
According to the minister, since the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion, France has provided Ukraine with €550m of military aid and is among the five largest donor countries to the war effort. The French military have also trained Ukrainian soldiers.
“Our task is to train 2,000 people out of the 15,000 proposed by the European Union. Some 400 Ukrainian military personnel have already been trained on operating equipment and weapons systems that we are providing to Ukraine,” Lecornu said, Ukrinform reports.
Updated
