WAR IN UKRAINE: September 4, 2022
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 193
Ukraine’s Russian-held Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant was once again knocked offline in the early hours of September 3 amid sustained shelling that destroyed a key power line and penetrated deep into the plant’s premises, local Russian-installed authorities said RFE/RL
IAEA chief: Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant's integrity violated several times. Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said he was worried about the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Russian-occupied Enerhodar. Despite obstruction from Moscow, an IAEA mission finally reached the plant on Sept. 1. Ukraine's state nuclear company Energoatom said it would be difficult for the IAEA inspectors to make an impartial assessment due to Russian interference. Russia, which has been shelling Ukrainian positions from the plant's territory, has been accused of using it as a shield and a tool of blackmail. Separately, one reactor at the plant was reconnected to grid. Ukraine's state nuclear monopoly Energoatom said that the reactor had been disconnected on Sept. 1 due to Russian shelling. Russia, which has been attacking Ukrainian positions from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Russian-occupied Enerhodar, has been accused of using it as a shield and a tool of blackmail - Kyiv Independent
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation on August 3, in which Erdogan said that Ankara could take on a mediating role in the situation with the occupied Zaporizhia NPP.
Due to the large number of refugees from Ukraine and asylum seekers from other countries, 12 of the 16 federal states of Germany are moving to block the acceptance of new refugees, according to Der Spiegel. “Against the background of a large number of people, 12 states have currently activated blocking in the system of initial placement. The burden on federal states is caused by refugees from Ukraine and general migration," said the press secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
U.S. President Joe Biden is requesting $11.7 billion in emergency funds from Congress for Ukraine as the country battles against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The economic impact of the war in Ukraine is tough on its allies, the country's first lady has told the BBC, but as Britons "count pennies", Ukrainians "count casualties". Olena Zelenska told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that if support for Ukraine was strong the crisis would be shorter. In an interview recorded in Kyiv, she also said it was important to keep highlighting the human toll of the war. "I understand the situation is very tough. But let me recall that at the time of the Covid-19 epidemic, and it's still with us, when there were price hikes, Ukraine was affected as well. The prices are going up in Ukraine as well. But in addition our people get killed. So when you start counting pennies on your bank account or in your pocket, we do the same and count our casualties," she said. My take: The messaging of Zelenska is somewhat questionable given that times are very tough on million sin the UK and elsewhere.