Ukraine reports recapture of three towns – Putin annexes Europe’s largest nuclear power plant by decree

Kyiv, Moscow Despite the war in his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is looking far ahead: Ukraine wants to host the 2030 World Cup together with Spain and Portugal.

This was announced by Selenski on Wednesday evening. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, despite the withdrawal of his own troops, officially signed the annexation of the occupied territories, at least in Russia, and at the same time nationalized the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

Selenski was optimistic about the chances of success for the World Cup application. It will be “very symbolic if three European Union countries – Spain, Portugal and Ukraine – can host the World Cup together,” he said in his daily video address on Wednesday. Only a few months ago, Ukraine received the status of an EU accession candidate.

Selenski only touched on the events of the fight. He reported the recapture of three other towns in the Kherson region and called the recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities with Iranian combat drones futile. “That doesn’t help you anymore. You’ve already lost,” he said to the Russian leadership. He was convinced that they could no longer motivate their own soldiers, while the Ukrainians knew what they were fighting for.

The Ukrainian President focused on the planned reconstruction. After the reconquest of the first areas in the Donbass, payments of pensions and social benefits have started there, he said, announcing intensive preparations to deal with the “difficult winter”.

By decree, Putin annexes Europe’s largest nuclear power plant

Meanwhile, Russia’s President Putin is administratively continuing the seizure of Ukraine’s Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhia oblasts. After he had already approved the ratification of the annexation by signature on Wednesday, he then instructed the government in Moscow to nationalize the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia, which was occupied by his troops.

“The government is instructed to ensure that objects for the use of nuclear energy of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and other property necessary for its operation are taken into state ownership,” the decree published on Wednesday said.

The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Russia has effectively controlled the nuclear power plant since the beginning of March, when Moscow’s troops occupied large parts of southern Ukraine as part of the war of aggression.

The power plant has come under fire several times during heavy fighting in recent months and even had to be shut down. Ukraine and Russia blame each other for the damage. The shelling has sparked international concerns of a nuclear catastrophe.

Nuclear weapons: Röttgen considers their use to be unrealistic, but not Gabriel

CDU foreign affairs expert Norbert Röttgen sees a possible use of nuclear weapons by Putin as unrealistic. “I don’t think it’s a realistic option for Putin,” said Röttgen on the ARD program “Maischberger”. Any consequences would be disastrous for him. Putin would be completely lost and isolated in the world and the people of Russia did not want to be drawn into a nuclear war.

Former Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel warned that Putin’s statements should be taken seriously. “We have to take Vladimir Putin at his word when he says Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons,” said the SPD politician on Wednesday evening, according to the Bayern media group (online Wednesday/print Thursday) at an event in Passau. If Putin uses a nuclear bomb, “then we are at war with Russia”.

Russians buy more antidepressants

Meanwhile, the mood in Russia is also gloomy. The sale of antidepressants in pharmacies has recently increased significantly. In the week from September 19 to 25, sales increased by 120 percent, the state agency TASS reported on Wednesday, citing figures from the chemical company DSM.

>> Read here: Russia expert on the consequences of partial mobilization: “Young men will emigrate

Putin ordered partial mobilization on September 21 and, according to official information, wants to draw in 300,000 reservists to hold the occupied areas after the Russian army’s defeat in Ukraine.

OECD wants to hold preliminary talks with Ukraine about possible accession

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) sees Ukraine as a potential member country. OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann announced on Wednesday that talks on accession should first take place.

After that, the OECD Council should deal with whether accession negotiations should be formally started. According to the OECD, Ukraine had asked to start the process of becoming an industrialized nation. In the evening, Selenski also spoke about the negotiations for admission to the OECD. A regional office of the organization will be opened in Kyiv by the end of the year, he said.

What will be important on Friday

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, is expected in Kyiv on Thursday. The Argentine also wants to visit Moscow afterwards.

Grossi had announced that he would travel to both capitals during the week to discuss the problem of nuclear safety – in particular the risks associated with the contested Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

This is how the Handelsblatt reports on the Ukraine war and the consequences:

According to military observers, the Ukrainians in the Luhansk region have now regrouped their forces and are ready for further attacks. As early as Friday there could be fighting for the city of Svatowe, which is important for Russian supplies, or the city of Kreminna on the Siwerskyi Donets river.

More: Don’t miss any development – Everything new in our news blog about the Ukraine war