Live ticker: The main line to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant has been cut off again

Status: 10:29 am | Reading Time: 5 minutes

DDespite international inspectors, the situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant remains volatile. The last remaining main power line between a power plant occupied by Russian troops and a Ukrainian power grid was cut again on Saturday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced. The line was cut “after fresh blasts in the zone”. However, the connection to the Ukrainian power grid will be maintained via the reserve line.

The IAEA was informed “on site today” that the nuclear power plant had “again lost connection to the remaining external power line”. According to them, the nuclear power plant originally had four main routes to the Ukrainian power grid. Three of them had been severed “during the previous conflict”. The last remaining main line was cut on August 25. The interruption of the route lasted for a day.

The IAEA announced on Saturday that one of the six reactors at Zaporizhia was still operating. It produces electricity “for the plant’s cooling and other essential safety functions and through the power grid for homes, factories and others”.

According to Ukrainian operating company Energoatom, another reactor had to be shut down due to “continuous shelling by Russian invaders”. The remaining four reactors were shut down earlier during the war of Russian aggression.

The last operating reactor “provides electricity of limited capacity to the power system of Ukraine through a reserve line” and powers the nuclear power plant, Enerkotam explained. Zaporizhia is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. The fighting around the nuclear power plant is fueling fears of a nuclear disaster like the one at Chernobyl in 1986. A total blackout at the power plant — when external power is lost and backup generators don’t work — can cause the plant to overheat. A 14-member IAEA team arrived on Thursday to check the safety of the nuclear power plant.

All Improvements in Live Ticker:

10:26 am – Russia criticizes lack of US visas for its delegates to UN General Assembly

According to Russia, it has not yet received a visa from the United States to allow its delegation to participate in a public debate at the UN General Assembly in New York in about two weeks. In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, made available to the AFP news agency on Friday (local time), Moscow expressed its “concern” about Washington’s behavior. The US government blamed Moscow for delays in the visa process.

“None of the 56 Russian delegates from the main team and the opening act have yet received an entry visa to the United States,” criticized Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia in the letter. The situation is similar for the crew and journalists on the plane that will bring Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as the head of the delegation to New York. “This is particularly alarming given that US authorities have continued to deny entry visas to Russian delegates seeking to attend UN events in recent months,” Nebenzia wrote.

7:00 am – Fighting continues, 9-year-old child dies

Fighting continued in other parts of Ukraine on Saturday. In the Donbass in the east, according to the Ukrainian army, the Russian army attacked in the direction of Pakmut and Avdiivka. The Ukrainian army launched “five offensives” near Donetsk and Pivtenny.

A nine-year-old boy was killed in a Russian attack, Ukrainian officials said. Another 10 people were seriously injured in the attacks in the Dnepropetrovsk region. Accordingly, violent attacks “with more than 50 explosions” also took place in the Novgorod-Svirks region near the Russian border. There were no victims.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has offered to mediate with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the fighting in Zaporizhia. According to the presidential office in Ankara, Erdogan said Turkey “can mediate, as it has already done in the grain deal.”

2:00 am – Zelenskyy warns of energy attack from Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warns that Russia is planning actions against Europe over the lack of gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline. “Russia is preparing a massive energy attack against all Europeans in the winter,” he explained in his usual nightly address.

1:20 am – Mutual blame for the fighting at the nuclear power plant

The Russian Defense Ministry on Saturday accused Ukraine’s military of wanting to retake the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, despite international nuclear experts. 250 soldiers and “foreign mercenaries” were involved in the operation. The Russian military says it repelled the attack and destroyed several boats. The information could not be independently verified.

The Ukrainian military accused Russia of launching attacks in the direction of Zaporizhia on Saturday night. Details were not disclosed in the management report. According to Russian news agency Interfax, a power line was damaged in the shelling. Therefore, power was cut off in the non-Russian occupied territory.

1:16 am – Development Minister Schulze offers help

Development Minister Svenja Schulze has pledged 200 million euros in new aid to Ukraine. “I will talk to Prime Minister Schmihal about how we can continue to support the Ukrainian government in taking care of displaced people,” the SPD politician told newspapers from the Funke media group, according to an initial report. It is about living space, warmth, clothing and medicine. “The bulk of our new aid, €200 million, will flow into a Ukrainian government program to support internally displaced persons. This money will help displaced people in Ukraine continue to receive the essential goods they need.