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Vladimir Putin, athlete Alina Kabaeva: "Close relationship" (archive photo from 2004)
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Itar Tass / REUTERS
What has happened in the past few hours
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the situation at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, which is occupied by Russian troops, is "very tense".
"All security principles have been violated in one way or another," said IAEA chief Rafael Grossi at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday evening (local time).
"We cannot allow this to continue."
The power plant in Zaporizhia is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
It has been occupied since early March by Russian troops, who took control of it days after they began invading Ukraine.
Since then, the IAEA has been trying to send experts to Zaporizhia, so far without success.
Ukraine is opposed to an IAEA mission because Kiev believes it would mean recognition of the Russian occupation.
"Going on site is very complex because it requires the consent and cooperation of certain actors," said Grossi, referring primarily to Ukraine and Russia.
The IAEA boss spoke on the sidelines of a UN conference on the review of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
At this, numerous states warned of the danger of a nuclear conflict, also against the background of the Ukraine war.
weapons shipments
According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian army needs even more weapons to defeat the Russian superiority in the Donbass.
In his video speech on Tuesday evening, the head of state thanked the United States in particular for wanting to provide further military aid.
His army could inflict painful losses on the attackers, especially with Himar's multiple rocket launchers from the USA.
Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov confirmed the arrival of four more Himars units in Kyiv on Tuesday.
"In fact, we still cannot completely break the advantage of the Russian army in terms of artillery and manpower," said Zelenskyy.
This was clearly felt in the battles for Pisky, Avdiivka and other places in Donbass.
"It's just hell."
Sanctions against Putin confidants
After Great Britain and the EU, the USA has also imposed sanctions on the alleged girlfriend of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The US Treasury Department said in Washington on Tuesday that it had put former gymnast Alina Kabaeva on its sanctions list.
The 39-year-old has a "close relationship with Putin" and is the current boss of the Kremlin-friendly media empire National Media Group.
The EU and Great Britain had already imposed sanctions on the former Olympic champion, who is rumored to be in a relationship with Putin, in May.
The US Treasury Department also announced sanctions against a number of other Russian figures, companies and institutions.
Among them are the billionaire Andrei Gurjew, boss of the fertilizer giant PhosAgro, and his son.
Guryev owns the Witanhurst estate in the UK, the second largest estate in London after Buckingham Palace, according to the US Treasury Department.
He is also the owner of the more than 80 meter long luxury yacht "Alfa Nero", which has now been blacklisted by the US Treasury Department.
Western countries have imposed harsh sanctions on Russia over Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
They also targeted oligarchs close to Putin.
situation of war refugees
EU Interior Commissioner Ylva Johansson has promised refugees from Ukraine who want to return that they can return to the EU at any time during the Russian war against their home country.
During a visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, she said: "We will always be ready with an open heart to take in Ukrainians in need."
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Johansson continued that on the journey to Kyiv, she saw a long line of Ukrainians with children and luggage at the train station on the Polish-Ukrainian border who wanted to go back to their homeland.
"It's a great step forward that so many Ukrainians are deciding to return home and rebuild Ukraine."
Ukrainians traveling to Ukraine permanently should opt out of temporary protection status.
But when your own country is at war, nobody knows what is permanent.
Therefore, people could re-register for temporary protection at any time.
Shortly after the war began, the 27 EU countries decided in early March to offer all Ukrainians protection quickly and unbureaucratically.
They are allowed to move and work freely in the EU.
She also has a right to health care, housing and education for her children.
According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 3.7 million Ukrainians have applied for this or a similar status.
In total, more than six million people have fled Ukraine to other European countries.
jul/dpa/Reuters/AFP
