Zelensky demands evacuation of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant – fighting in southern Ukraine

Kyiv Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has renewed his allegations of terrorism against Moscow and called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. “The complete evacuation of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is necessary,” he said in his daily video message on Thursday evening.

Zelensky calls for international pressure on the nuclear issue

The world must increase the pressure on Moscow to prevent a nuclear catastrophe. Radioactivity knows no neutrality, he said to those countries that have not yet taken a position in the conflict. Zelensky repeated the accusation that Moscow was planning an attack at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which it then cynically “hopes to hide under this or that catastrophe”. He informed representatives of the major Western industrialized nations (G7) and the industrialized and emerging countries (G20) as well as international organizations about the danger.

Zelensky did not name any concrete evidence for his accusations against Moscow. Instead, he referred to the destruction of the Kachowka Dam. After it was damaged, the Kakhovka reservoir ran out, and large parts of the southern Ukrainian region of Cherson were flooded. Kiev and the West hold Moscow responsible for this. Russia denies blowing up the dam.

Kyiv: Offensive progresses in southern Ukraine

While Zelensky largely ignored what was happening at the front in his video message, the Ukrainian military reported further successes. According to their own statements, the armed forces gained ground during their offensive in the south of the country. “In the south, the attacks of our armed forces continue, we are making gradual progress, are partially successful, are pushing back the enemy and straightening the front,” wrote Deputy Defense Minister in Kiev Hanna Maljar on her Telegram channel. Accordingly, the attacks are in the direction of Melitopol and Berdyansk.

However, the major cities mentioned by Maljar are still a long way from the front in the Russian-occupied hinterland of southern Ukraine. Despite the proclaimed progress, the Ukrainian military has apparently not taken any more towns. In any case, there is no corresponding information in Maljar’s report. The officer was always one of the first to report the receipts of the eight settlements that had been recaptured so far.

UN report: Russia responsible for killing 136 children

The United Nations accuses Russia of serious crimes against children in the war of aggression against Ukraine. This emerges from an internal UN report that the German Press Agency was able to see in New York on Thursday. UN Secretary-General António Guterres blamed Russia for the killing of 136 children last year, saying he was “shocked”.

The Russian army has been included on a UN list of organizations that commit serious crimes against children in armed conflicts. At the same time, the UN also accused Ukraine of being responsible for the killing of children.

According to the UN, 477 children were proven to have been killed in Ukraine last year. 136 kills are attributed to Russian forces and allies, 80 to Ukrainian troops. Neither warring party can be blamed for the remaining victims with certainty. The children were mostly killed by airstrikes, it said. Russian forces fly such attacks on Ukrainian towns and villages. The UN emphasized that there is a high “unreported figure” due to the strict guidelines for verifying such cases.

Germany takes over “baton” for Ukraine reconstruction conference

Following the conclusion of the two-day conference on Ukraine’s reconstruction in London, Germany has taken over the baton for next year’s event. Federal Development Minister Svenja Schulze drew a positive conclusion from the meeting in the British capital on Thursday: “The last two days have impressively shown that we as the international community continue to stand by Ukraine in solidarity,” said the SPD politician, according to a statement.

At the meeting on Wednesday, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed their confidence that Ukraine would join the EU. Baerbock announced that the necessary reforms should be the focus of next year’s conference.

Russia extends custody for US journalists

Meanwhile, Russia’s judiciary has confirmed the extended detention for US reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested for alleged espionage. A court in Moscow on Thursday rejected a complaint by Gershkovich’s lawyers, the Interfax agency reported. The 31-year-old works for the US newspaper “Wall Street Journal”. The reporter was arrested by the FSB secret service in March in the city of Yekaterinburg in the Urals. He is accused of collecting classified information about Russia’s military-industrial complex for US agencies.

This is how the Handelsblatt reports on the Ukraine war:

What will be important on Friday

Against the background of the Ukrainian nuclear terror allegations against Moscow, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, visited Russia on Friday. In the Russian Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad, the Argentine met Alexei Lichatschow, head of the Russian nuclear agency Rosatom, to discuss the situation at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

More: All developments in the Ukraine war in our news blog