Two reactors were restored after the power cut. The Russian army was strengthened with 137,000 soldiers. At least 25 people were killed in the attack on the station.
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, seized by Russia in March, was temporarily cut off from the Ukrainian power grid this Thursday, following attacks that damaged communications links. The interruption exposed the immediate danger it found itself in: a power outage compromising nuclear fuel cooling pools.
Ukrainian operator Energoatom, whose technicians are being held hostage inside the plant, has warned that two reactors have been disconnected from the grid “as a result of the actions of the invaders”, at least twice during the day. The complete shutdown of the plant, which supplies more than 20% of Ukraine’s electricity needs, was “for the first time in its history”.
Electricity for a nuclear power plant comes from a connected thermal power station. A fire at the site of the plant caused the disconnection of the last communication line connecting the site to the power grid. Energoatom assured that work was underway to connect a reactor to the grid, and later, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed the restoration of power supplies.
Ukraine and Russia have bombed near a nuclear power plant for weeks, accusing each other of risking disaster. The United Nations has already called for the “demilitarization” of the plant, with Antonio Guterres backing the IAEA’s inspection mission. Despite Russia’s denials, officials could take a “very close” look, Director General Raffaele Croci said this Thursday.
The UN Secretary-General stressed that electricity from Zaporizhia unequivocally belongs to Ukraine and that this principle “must be fully respected”. Earlier this month, Russian forces said they were preparing to connect the Energoatom plant to the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, causing damage from this restructuring of power generation.
Putin is expanding the military
Vladimir Putin signed this Thursday, which provides for an increase in the military force by 137,000 soldiers. By 2023, the Russian Armed Forces will have a total of more than 1.15 million operatives, Interfax news agency reported. Although Russia has not officially commented on the number of casualties in the invasion, Ukraine revealed in July that more than 40,000 members of the Russian military had died.
It is not clear how reinforcement will be achieved through recruitment, volunteers, or an increase in both. The Kremlin has said only contracted volunteer soldiers will take part in the “special military operation”.
On Wednesday – a day marking six months of war and Ukraine’s celebration of independence – a Russian attack on the Chaplino train station in Dnipropetrovsk killed at least 25 people, according to a new statement from authorities released this Thursday. Two minors were among the dead, and 31 others were injured. Russia said a convoy containing weapons was targeted and 200 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the attack.
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