Even as war-torn Ukraine plans to hold a third round of talks with Russian officials later this week, the United Nations Security Council has called for an attack on Russia and Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya. An emergency meeting was called on Friday after the seizure.
Ukraine has accused Russia of “nuclear terror” and the West has expressed anger at the “reckless” move. Major Ukrainian cities still face heavy bombardment for the ninth day as Russian forces launch their offensive against its neighboring country.
The G7 has warned against “more severe sanctions” on Russia, calling for “rapid humanitarian corridors in Ukraine”. According to the United Nations, at least 331 civilians have been killed since the attack, while Moscow said on Wednesday it had lost 498 soldiers. The United Nations also said that more than 1.2 million refugees have been flooded from Ukraine into neighboring countries.
Here are the top developments as Russia intensifies its offensive, even as it has become an economic, sporting and cultural pariah:
Europe’s largest nuclear power plant attacked Russian forces attacked Zaporizhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, triggering an emergency UNSC meeting. Fighting and fire broke out at the plant, but six reactors, which could power enough energy to power four million homes, were apparently not damaged. Monitors reported no spike in radiation. According to Kyiv’s nuclear operator Energotom, three Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that one explosion at the plant would be the equivalent of “six Chernobyl”, referring to the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster in 1986. A Russian envoy to the United Nations, however, denied that Russian forces had opened fire on the nuclear power plant. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed the attack was staged “with the participation of Ukrainian sabotage groups, foreign mercenaries”.
third round of talks After a second round of talks on Thursday, Moscow agreed to a request from Ukraine for humanitarian corridors to allow frightened residents to flee. But there was no clarity on how these would work, and there was no sign of a move toward a ceasefire. Ahead of a third round of talks later this week, Zelensky has urged the West to increase military aid and “give me the plane”. He also called for direct talks with Putin.
German Chancellor talks to Putin: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge Ukraine to end hostilities and allow aid, Putin denied Russia’s bombing of Ukrainian cities and described such information as “gross propaganda fakes”. In rejected.
NATO pulls out of no-fly zone over Ukraine Fearing provoking its own war with nuclear-armed Russia, NATO once again refused to impose a no-fly zone on Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the military organization will not police a no-fly zone on Ukraine and is warning such a move could end a Europe-wide war.
Russia intensifies ground attacks There were fresh reports of civilian casualties and catastrophic damage from Ukraine, especially in the southern areas near Kherson, which was the first city to fall to Moscow’s troops. The port city of Mariupol is already cut off without water or electricity. On Thursday, 47 people were killed in the Chernihiv bombings. Parts of Kharkiv have also been hit by shelling, which UN prosecutors are investigating as a possible war crime.
Putin intensifies action on dissent: The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin told his ally Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that “the actions set for (Ukraine) operations are going according to plan and will be fully completed.” The Kremlin has this week called on Russians to “unite around our president” following the mass arrests of thousands of bravehearts in anti-war demonstrations. Authorities have imposed a news blackout and two liberal media groups have halted operations. Russia blocked Facebook inside the country, while many media websites, including the BBC, were partially inaccessible in Russia. Russian lawmakers approved a law punishing fines and up to 15 years in prison for anyone publishing “fake news” about the military. Russians are also fleeing their country as the impact of harsher Western sanctions, or even Kremlin crackdowns on domestic dissent. On one of the few remaining routes from Russia to the European Union, trains from St. Petersburg to Finland are packed with Russians.
India wants local ceasefire: India called for a local ceasefire between Russian and Ukrainian troops in eastern Ukraine to facilitate the evacuation of Indian nationals trapped in conflict zones, and stressed that the decision by the warring sides to build safe passageways for civilians should be supported. It remains to be seen. The Ministry of External Affairs said that around 20,000 Indian nationals have so far crossed the borders of war-torn Ukraine for safety. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired another meeting to review the ongoing situation in Ukraine amid the ongoing exercise to evacuate Indian nationals, mostly students, from a country battling Russian aggression. Those who attended the meeting included External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Minister Piyush Goyal and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
India to give funds for treatment of Delhi student who was shot in Ukraine The Ministry of External Affairs said that the central government has decided to bear the medical expenses of Indian student Harjot Singh, who is recovering after being shot at a hospital in Kyiv. On February 27, the 31-year-old boarded a cab to Lviv to escape with two of his friends. He has received four bullets, one of which is in the chest. Singh is a resident of Delhi. “We are aware of the matter. Our embassy is in touch with them (family). I think he is currently in a hospital in Kyiv.’
(with agency input)
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