Ukraine-News: Heavy fighting in Donetsk – Ukraine reports defense successes
Created: 2022-08-07 04:47
By: Nail Akkoyun, Andreas Apetz, Lucas Maier
Fierce fighting between the armed forces continues in the Ukraine war.
Russia is apparently bombing the city of Bakhmut: the news ticker.
Shelling of a nuclear power plant: Russia and Ukraine hold each other responsible.
Russia occupies a nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
Experts warn urgently of the devastating consequences.
Russia is massing troops in southern Ukraine.
The British Ministry of Defense speaks of a "new phase of the war"
Editor
's note: You can read all the news about the Ukraine conflict in this news ticker.
Some of the information comes from warring factions in the Ukraine war and cannot be checked directly and independently.
+++ 10:25 p.m .:
While the Ukrainian army in eastern Ukraine is under pressure in many places, the armed forces in the east of the Donetsk region initially managed to repel all Russian attacks on Saturday (August 6).
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russian offensives on the cities of Sloviansk, Bakhmut and Avdiivka were repelled.
In the city of Bachmut in particular, both warring parties reported fierce fighting, some of which is said to be taking place in the middle of the city.
The small town is considered a cornerstone of the defense system surrounding the last Ukrainian-held metropolitan area in Donbass.
Should Bakhmut and other small towns fall, the way for the Russian troops would be largely free in the direction of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
Since conquering the neighboring region of Luhansk, the Russians have concentrated their attacks in eastern Ukraine on Donetsk, where they have so far conquered around 60 percent of the territory.
Since conquering the Luhansk region, Russia has concentrated its attacks in eastern Ukraine on Donetsk.
60 percent of the region has already been conquered.
(Iconic image) © Bulent Kilic/AFP
Ukraine war: Russia is said to have mined nuclear power plant - warning of radioactive danger
+++ 15.30:
Russian forces have apparently mined the area around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
This is reported by
The Insider.
The investigative team of the Kremlin-critical magazine refers to a video that is said to have been shot at the beginning of the week.
It is supposed to show Russian military trucks driving onto the factory premises and unloading goods there.
According to information from The Insider, either the power plant itself or the railings around it were mined.
+++ 2:55 p.m .:
The nuclear power plant in Zaporizhschja in southeastern Ukraine that was shot at yesterday may have an increased risk of fire and radiation.
“The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant operates with the risk of violating the norms for radiation and fire safety,” Ukraine's state nuclear agency Enerhoatom warned on Saturday (6 August) via Telegram.
This is said to be due to a nitrogen system and an auxiliary body that had been damaged by the previous day's shelling.
"There remains the risk of hydrogen escaping and radioactive particles spreading, and the risk of fire is also high," reports the nuclear authority.
The specialists at the nuclear power plant are currently ensuring the nuclear safety of the plant, albeit under difficult conditions due to the occupation by Russian troops.
The largest nuclear power plant in Europe has been under Russian control since the beginning of March.
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Ukraine-News: Russian military reports numerous killed Ukrainian soldiers
+++ 1:43 p.m .:
According to the Russian military, almost 600 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in air and artillery strikes.
"Near the village of Bilohirka in the Kherson region, the temporary base of the 46th Ukrainian air assault brigade was hit by airstrikes and artillery fire," said Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, on Saturday (6 August).
In addition, 70 other soldiers were killed and 150 injured in rocket attacks on the Cherson front.
Konashenkov also reported on the destruction of several artillery systems in Ukraine.
Cherson is located in southern Ukraine.
According to reports from the British Ministry of Defense (MOD), the conquest of the area is one of the current war aims of the Russian army.
Russia's offensive will therefore shift even more to southern Ukraine.
The MOD called this strategic change of fronts a "new phase of the war".
Ukraine-News: Nuclear power plant in the south-east shelled
+++ 11.50 a.m .:
Ukraine has accused Russian forces of attacking a nuclear reactor near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia power plant in the south-east of the country.
Energoatom, the state operator of Ukraine's nuclear power plants, said in a statement that three strikes were recorded at the power plant's site.
The Russian Defense Ministry has accused Ukrainian forces of shelling the power plant, saying it was only luck that prevented the radiation from escaping.
Ukraine-News: "New phase of war" begins - Russia prepares heavy attack
+++ 9.30 a.m .:
According to information from Great Britain, Russian forces are gathering in southern Ukraine.
The British Ministry of Defense speaks of a "new phase of the war".
The conflict is now shifting to the south of the country on an approximately 350-kilometer front line along the Dnieper River between Cherson and Zaporizhia.
Long convoys with Russian military vehicles, tanks, artillery and other weapons continue to leave Ukraine's Donbass region and move south-west.
Ukrainian forces would increasingly target bridges, ammunition depots and rail links in Ukraine's southern regions in order to destroy Russia's supply routes.
This includes the strategically important railway line that connects Cherson with Russian-occupied Crimea.
Tactical battalions numbering 800 to 1,000 soldiers have been stationed on the peninsula and can support Russian troops in Kherson.
Ukraine-News: Russia launches heavy attack - Eastern Ukraine under heavy shelling
+++ 8:53 a.m .:
Russia is pushing for the conquest of eastern Ukraine.
According to information from Kyiv, the troops are currently attacking Bakhmut, a cornerstone of the defense system around the last Ukrainian-held metropolitan area in the Donbass, with all their might.
Russian forces used heavy tank guns, as well as tube and rocket artillery, to bombard the area.
This was announced by the General Staff of Ukraine on Facebook.
"The enemy is launching an attack on Bakhmut, fighting continues," it says.
Ukraine-News: Russia is said to have fired again at a nuclear power plant.
(Archive image) © Evgeniy Maloletka/dpa
Since the conquest of the breakaway People's Republic of Luhansk, Russia's offensive in eastern Ukraine has focused on the neighboring Donetsk region.
Just a few days ago, the Ukrainian military was able to withstand attempts to capture the city of Bakhmut.
Ukraine-News: Russia accelerates annexation with passport abolition and sham referendums
+++ 7.45 a.m .:
The Institute for the Study of War reports that Russian forces in Ukraine are using drones supplied by Iran.
The US think tank reported Aug. 5 that Ukrainian officials confirmed Iran had provided Russia with 46 drones, which are now being used in combat.
The ISW also reported that Russia is continuing to prepare the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine for mock referendums and annexation by accelerating passport abolition and introduction of the ruble, and replacing pro-Ukrainian officials with Russian ones.
Ukraine-News: Another attack on nuclear power plant – Zelenskyj sees “nuclear threat”
Update from Saturday, August 6th, 7:00 a.m.:
"Anyone who creates nuclear threats for other peoples is definitely not able to use nuclear technology safely," said Ukrainian President Selenskyj on Saturday night.
Specifically, he demanded punitive measures against the Russian state-owned company Rosatom.
He holds Russia responsible for the shelling of the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia.
Meanwhile, Russian forces are said to have shelled a farm and a grain silo in Zaporizhia Oblast.
Russian shelling in the Novomykolaivsky district of the region destroyed grain silos with about 3,000 tons of grain, reports Ukrinform, citing the director of the silo.
Russian shelling also reportedly hit agricultural infrastructure, destroying a warehouse containing over 365 tons of sunflowers.
Ukraine war: Another attack on nuclear power plant – Russia blames Ukraine
+++ 10:29 p.m .:
After the three artillery hits on the site of the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia, Russia has now spoken out.
As after the first attack, Russia blamed Ukraine for the artillery strike,
AFP
reports.
"Armed Ukrainian groups carried out three artillery strikes at the site of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (...) and in the city of Enerhodar," the Russian army statement said.
Previously, Ukraine had reported shelling from Russia.
Vladimir Putin's troops called on "international organizations to condemn the criminal actions of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's regime, which commits acts of nuclear terrorism".
The power plant has been under Russian occupation since the beginning of March.
Moscow was recently criticized for this from the ranks of the USA.
Foreign Minister Antony Blinken said that Russia "knows very well that Ukraine cannot and will not fire back because it could accidentally hit a nuclear reactor or high-level radioactive waste stored there".
Nuclear power plant hit: Russia rejects guilt.
(Archive image) © Dmytro Smolyenko/IMAGO
Nuclear power plant under fire: Energy company reports renewed fire
+++ 9:10 p.m .:
A second attack is said to have shaken the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhschja.
Russia is said to have fired at the power plant with multiple rocket launchers, the operator
Enerhoatom writes
in its latest report.
The attack reportedly severely damaged a nitrogen-oxygen station and a secondary building at the power plant.
So far there have been no injuries, but there is a risk of hydrogen escaping and radioactivity being released.
Ukraine-News: Release of radioactive radiation after attack as far as possible
In addition, there is a high risk of fire, as the report says.
The Ukrainian state-owned company writes that representatives of the Russian energy company Rosatom fled before the attack.
Rosatom is currently state-owned.
Enerhoatom employees are currently taking steps to ensure continued radiation safety.
This information comes from the Ukrainian operator of the Enerhoatom power plant and has not yet been independently verified.
Ukraine News: Attacks on nuclear power plant
+++ 6.30 p.m .:
After the British secret service had previously warned of the dangers of attacks on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the state-owned energy company in Ukraine is now reporting renewed attacks.
As Enerhoatom announced, troops from Russia again fired at the power plant.
A 330 kV high-voltage power line was destroyed in the attack, which is said to have taken place around 2.30 p.m. on Friday (5 August).
As a result of the attack, one of the power plant blocks of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe was shut down.
According to the Energy Agency, no radiation is emitted from the power plant, which is located in the Russian-occupied city of Enerhodar.
The information has not yet been independently verified.
Ukraine-News: Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of attacking nuclear power plant
A few days ago, the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA expressed concerns about the safety of the power plant, as the
dpa
writes.
An inspection is actually urgently needed, but not possible under the current war conditions, they say.
The Russian side said the shelling was carried out by Ukrainian units.
In the Russian agency reports, there is also talk of a fire breaking out, as
dpa
reports.
This account could be verified just as little as that of the Ukrainian side.
Ukraine-News: Russia starts recruiting by force
+++ 16:55:
Russia begins in the occupied areas in the Luhansk region with the forced recruitment of the population.
The region's governor, Serhiy Haidai, announced that the pro-Russian forces would forcibly recruit even teachers during their summer break, the
Kyiv Independent
writes .
Around 300 men were also forcibly recruited “off the street”.
In the towns of Bryanka and Kadiivka, people were forcibly confiscated at bus stops and on public transport, it said.
The information has not yet been independently verified.
Update from Friday, August 5, 1:30 p.m
.: As the
Kyiv Independent
reports, Russia has fired at a residential area in Kharkiv with so-called Tornado missiles.
According to initial information from the regional public prosecutor's office, two men and two women were injured.
In addition, several houses and vehicles were badly damaged.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military administration suspects several hostile collaborators in the port city of Mykolaiv in the south of the country.
As Governor Vitaly Kim announced on Telegram, a curfew will be imposed until Monday morning (8 August) and various parts of the city will be checked.
So far, however, there are no signs that Mykolaiv is in danger of being surrounded by Russian troops.
News about the Ukraine war: concerns about nuclear power plants continue to grow
First report from Friday, August 5:
Zaporizhia - According to British intelligence services, actions by the Russian armed forces are highly likely to endanger the security of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia.
Moscow's intentions regarding the largest nuclear power plant in Europe are "still unclear" five months after the start of the Ukraine war, the British Ministry of Defense said in an update on Friday (5 August).
Russia is said to be using artillery units in the areas adjacent to the power plant to attack Ukrainian regions west of the Dnipro River.
They may have used the high-security status of the power plant site to protect themselves and their equipment from Ukrainian counterattacks at night, sources said.
Ukraine War News: Nuclear Safety Principles “Violated”
With six blocks and an output of 6000 megawatts, the plant in the city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhia Oblast is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
Russian troops occupied the facility in early March.
After that, the nuclear power plant continued to be operated by Ukrainian personnel, but was monitored by Russian nuclear specialists.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has described the situation at the nuclear power plant as extremely unstable and fragile.
"All the principles of nuclear safety have been violated in one way or another," Rafael Grossi said in New York this week.
An IAEA inspection to check technical safety is urgently needed.
(nak with dpa)
