“The West will not leave Russia alone”
05:23 | Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told state media TASS that the West “hates” the independence of Russia and China and will not leave the countries alone. “The West will try to dismember Russia and divide it into smaller states,” Medvedev said.
The current deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council also said that Ukraine is part of “Great Russia” and that there is no reason for Russians to seek rapprochement with the West.
Concerns about the safety of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant continue
04:20 | The International Atomic Energy Agency is still concerned about the “precarious” safety of the nuclear power plant in the Zaporizhia region of Ukraine. In particular, ongoing problems with the power supply increase the risk of accidents, according to the IAEA.
The last remaining external power line was damaged by Russian rocket attacks on March 1 and has continued to fail regularly since then, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday. Zaporizhia’s nuclear safety remains precarious, Grossi said. “I call on all parties to commit to plant safety.”
Diesel generators are available in Zaporizhia for emergency situations where external power fails. The nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, needs external electricity to cool the reactors. Zaporizhia was taken by the Russian military at the start of the war and is still under Russian control.
The IAEA also points to the severe pressure that the employees of the power plant are experiencing. “The reduction of the workforce combined with the psychological stress of the ongoing military conflict is compromising nuclear safety and the protection of the facility,” added the head of the UN nuclear watchdog.