Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned Russia has created new threats "that could surpass" the Chernobyl disaster, as he marked the incident's 36th anniversary. In his nightly address, he said: "This year it is not enough to just remember Chernobyl... Because this year, Russia has created new threats that could surpass even the worst accident."
Zelensky recalled Russia's firing on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on March 4, saying Russian forces "knew exactly which object they were firing at", and they "didn't think about how many power units there are and how the shelling could end". He added: "If the world had not woken up that night, we would not mention Chernobyl today, because everyone would think about what Russia has done at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant."
Zelensky also praised the UK and Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his "prompt and positive response to our request for trade liberalisation". He said: "Britain has announced the abolition of all duties and quotas on imports of Ukrainian goods. This will allow us to save thousands of jobs during the war and ensure a significant intensification of economic relations with Britain. We expect similar decision from other partners."
