A summary of today's developments
Concern about the potential for a radiation leak at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is persisting. Ukraine’s state energy operator has warned that there are “risks of hydrogen leakage and sputtering of radioactive substances” at the Russian-occupied plant. Authorities were distributing iodine tablets to residents who live near the plant in case of radiation exposure.
Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of shelling the area around Europe’s largest nuclear plant. Moscow’s troops have “repeatedly shelled” the site of the nuclear plant over the past day, the Ukrainian state nuclear company, Energoatom, said. Russia’s defence ministry has claimed Ukraine’s troops “shelled the territory of the station three times” in the past day.
A team of inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog is poised to make an emergency visit to the Zaporizhzhia plant, according to reports. Sources have told the Wall Street Journal it is “almost certain” that a mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency will visit the plant early next week, although details are still being finalised.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy has issued a statement marking Ukraine’s Aviation Day, in which he pledged that Kyiv’s troops will “destroy the occupiers’ potential step by step”. The Ukrainian president vowed that the Russian “invaders will die like dew on the sun”.
Russia has probably increased the intensity of its attacks in the Donetsk area of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region over the past five days, according to British intelligence. Pro-Russia separatists have most likely made progress towards the centre of Pisky village, near Donetsk airport, but Russian forces overall had secured few territorial gains, the latest report from the UK Ministry of Defence says.
Russia has blocked an agreement at the UN that was aimed at bolstering the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT). The failure to agree to a joint statement, due to Moscow’s objection to a clause about control over the Zaporizhzhia power plant, is the latest blow to hopes of maintaining an arms control regime and keeping a lid on a rekindled arms race.
Ukrainian sailors will be allowed to leave the country for work, the country’s cabinet of ministers has said. The prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, said men of draft age employed as crew members will be allowed to leave the country so long as they have permission from their local conscription offices to cross the border.
Britain’s defence ministry has said it is giving six underwater drones to Ukraine to help clear its coastline of mines and make grain shipments safer. In addition, dozens of Ukrainian navy personnel will be taught to use the drones over the coming months, the ministry said.
Kazakhstan, a neighbour and ally of Russia, has suspended all arms exports for a year, its government said, amid the conflict in Ukraine and western sanctions against Moscow.
Poland and the Czech Republic have agreed to protect the airspace of their Nato ally Slovakia, as it upgrades its air force from legacy Soviet-made MiG-29 fighters to a new batch of F-16 jets from the US.
UK organisations have been urged to strengthen their cyber defences to prepare for an extended period of “heightened threat” due to the war in Ukraine.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) published the guidance along with advice to help companies bolster their protections.
Paul Maddinson, NCSC director for national resilience and strategy, said: “From the start of the conflict in Ukraine, we have been asking organisations to strengthen their cyber defences to help keep the UK secure, and many have done so.
“But it’s now clear that we’re in this for the long haul, and it’s vital that organisations support their staff through this demanding period of heightened cyber threat.”
