UN warns of nuclear security in Ukraine and Russia. Volodymyr Zelensky again urged allies to lift restrictions on long-range strikes inside Russia.
At a meeting of the UN Security Councilon Wednesday, Miroslav Jenča, the assistant secretary-general for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, said that the United Nations were “alarmed by the incidents reported around nuclear facilities in Ukraine and Russia”.
In August, a drone strike was reported near the perimeter of the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia power plant, which is under the control of Russian forces. Miroslav Jenča adds that significant damage was caused by a fire in a cooling tower and that military activities continue near the site.
Robert A. Wood, the alternate U.S. representative for special political affairs, criticized the Kremlin for endangering the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. He urged Russia to comply with the demands of more than 100 members of the United Nations General Assembly and return control of the plant to Ukrainian authorities.
After the visit to Russia of Rafael Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency – an organization that operates under the auspices of the UN – Miroslav Jenča also mentions Growing concerns over the security of Russia’s Kursk nuclear power plant, where drone remains have been found.
Russian offensive continues in Donbass
Russia has been stepping up its attacks in Ukraine since the beginning of the week. On Tuesday, Ukrainian authorities announced that they had shot down 5 missiles and 60 drones, during a “massive” Russian attack that left several victims.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that Situation near Pokrovsk remains “extremely difficult” while Russian troops are getting closer and closer of this important logistics hub in the east of the country.
“Russia’s main efforts and greatest forces are concentrated there”he explains, believing however that The Ukrainian incursion into the Russian Kursk Oblast prevented Moscow from “put more pressure” in eastern Ukraine.
The Ukrainian army has expanded the territory it controls in the Kursk region and rebuilt its “exchange fund” of prisoners, adds Volodymyr Zelensky.
CIA Deputy Director David Cohen says:a Moscow counteroffensive in the Kursk region is inevitable, but“a difficult fight” waiting for Russian forces.
“We can be sure that Vladimir Putin will organize a counter-offensive to try to recover this territory”he says. “But he will have to deal with both this new front line inside Russia and the repercussions in his own society of the loss of part of Russian territory.”.
“The greatest aerial terror in human history”
Volodymyr Zelensky once again calls on Kyiv’s allies to lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons and to be “much more active” in the fight against the “Russian terrorism” so that it does not become “the new normal for Europe”.
Ukraine’s permanent representative to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, reports on the devastation on Ukrainian territory since the beginning of the conflict.
“For more than two years, Ukraine has been resisting the greatest air terror in human history”he says.
The diplomat urged members of the UN Security Council (of which Russia is a member) to adopt two decisions that “will put an end to terrorism” of the Russian Federation: “First, recognize Ukraine’s right to launch long-range strikes against all legitimate military targets on Russian territory. Second, engage partners’ air defense assets to shoot down missiles and drones near their airspace.” he said.
