Ukraine Latest: Zelenskiy Says Nuclear Plant Still ‘Very Risky’

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(Bloomberg) —

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant “remains very risky, dangerous” even after two power units were reconnected to the country’s energy grid after an outage.

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The plant is working “despite provocations by occupying Russian forces,” state-owned operator Energoatom said. Zelenskiy said in a video address that the International Atomic Energy Agency should be allowed to arrive “soonest” to help prevent further incidents.

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The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, also expressed concern about the situation. 

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Key Developments

On the Ground

Russian forces hit several private houses, warehouses and power lines in eastern Ukraine, according to a statement by Ukraine’s General Staff. Russia’s naval group continues reconnaissance and a blockade of civilian shipping in the northwestern part of the Black Sea, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said. Seven Russian ammunition depots in southern Ukraine were destroyed this week, said Natalia Humenyuk, a Ukrainian military spokeswoman.

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(All times CET)

Ukraine Aims to Export 3 Million Tons of Grain by Sea a Month (7 a.m.)

Ukraine exported 1 million tons of grain by sea after last month’s deal brokered by the UN and Turkey, Zelenskiy said in a video address to the nation. Some 44 ships were sent to 15 countries and Ukraine received 70 more requests for ships to be loaded, he said. The country aims to export 3 million tons of grains a month by sea, he said.

IMF Exploring More Options to Help Ukraine, Official Says (6 a.m.)

The International Monetary Fund is looking at ways to help Ukraine beyond the round of emergency financing it provided at the beginning of the war, Gita Gopinath, the bank’s first deputy director, told Bloomberg Television.

“We are looking at other options, many other things that we’ll need to do to help Ukraine — also to make sure that their macro policies are able to keep the economy on track as best possible, prevent hyperinflation,” Gopinath said. “All of these are big concerns we’re trying to work with the authorities to help address.”

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Russia Blocks Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Deal (5 a.m.)

Moscow late Friday blocked agreement on the final draft of a review of the UN treaty considered the cornerstone of nuclear disarmament over criticism of its actions in Ukraine, the Associated Press reported.

The four-week talks over updates to the 50-year-old Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, already delayed two years by the Covid-19 pandemic, were stymied over wording referencing Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power facility in Ukraine, Europe’s largest.

“We do not have a consensus document because of Russia,” US Undersecretary of State for Arms Control Bonnie Jenkins said on Twitter.