Russia’s Defense Ministry issued a statement on Saturday and said its forces launched attacks on Ukrainian targets in several parts of Ukraine. It also accused Ukrainian forces of shelling near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Kyiv.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is now connected to the Ukrainian grid as engineers repaired one of the four main external power lines that had been damaged during the ongoing conflict.
Here are the top developments in the story:
1. A week after Ukrainian forces captured territory previously occupied by Russian forces in the northeastern Kharkiv region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday that its forces launched attacks on Ukrainian targets in several parts of Ukraine.
According to the ministry, the Russian army carried out its attacks in the Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.
Firefighters work at the site of a building damaged by a Russian military attack. (Reuters Photo)
2. The Kyiv Independent reported that Russian forces opened fire on three settlements in Sumy Oblast. Sumy Oblast Governor Dmitro Zhyvitsky said Russian forces fired on the communities of Seredina-Buda, Bilopilia and Shalihine on Saturday. The attacks reportedly damaged a house and a car and set a grass field on fire. Zivitsky said there were no civilian casualties.
3. Russia’s defense ministry also accused Ukraine’s military of shelling near Europe’s largest Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. However, Ukraine’s foreign ministry denied Russia’s allegations and said that Ukrainian forces did not open fire.
4. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on Saturday that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been reconnected to the Ukrainian power grid.
#Ukraine‘s #zaporizhzhya The IAEA learned at the site today that the nuclear power plant is once again receiving power directly from the national grid, as engineers repaired one of four main external power lines that had been damaged during the conflict. https://t.co/wift7jorog pic.twitter.com/WN2M2oK82F
— IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency (@iaeaorg) September 17, 2022
The nuclear plant was cut off the national grid last month after it came under Russian shelling. The IAEA said one of the plant’s four main power lines had been repaired and was once again supplying electricity from the Ukrainian grid.
“With the reconnection of the main line tomorrow afternoon, three back-up power lines are again being placed in reserve,” the International Atomic Energy Agency’s watchdog said in a statement.
(with input from Reuters)
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