“These operations are very complex operations. We are going to a war zone, we will go to occupied territories, and this requires express guarantees not only from the Russian Federation, but also from the Republic of Ukraine. And we were able to secure this,” said General IAEA director Rafael Grossi told reporters as the delegation prepared to depart Kyiv this morning, Reuters reported. “We have a very important task there to perform – to assess the actual situation there, to help stabilize the situation as much as we can.” International Atomic Energy Agency and United Nations personnel prepare to depart for Zaporizhia from a hotel in Kyiv, Ukraine on August 31, 2022. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images He said the team would spend a few days in Zaporizhzhia, an area of heavy fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops, and return after the mission. Russia took control of the nuclear plant – Europe’s largest of its kind – near the start of the invasion, and concerns have grown of a possible nuclear disaster due to shelling near the complex. Ukraine accused Russia of bombing the travel corridor the IAEA team would take to reach the power plant and said Moscow was planning “provocations” during the visit. Russia in turn has accused Ukraine of planning similar action, an accusation that Kyiv has rejected. Ukraine demanded the complete demilitarization of the plant and the withdrawal of all Russian military personnel. Having met Groshy yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “only the demilitarization of the ZNPP and the return to Ukraine under its full control will eliminate all danger.” — Holly Elliott
Russia’s Gazprom rallies more than 20% after earnings and dividend announcement
Russia’s Gazprom saw its shares rise on Wednesday after it reported strong first-half profits and announced a new dividend to shareholders. Stoyan Vassev | Press Service of Gazprom Neft | via Reuters Russian gas giant Gazprom posted record first-half profits and promised new dividends to shareholders, sending its shares soaring more than 27 percent in early Moscow trading on Wednesday. The majority state energy company said its board had proposed a dividend of 51.03 Russian rubles ($0.85) per common share for the first half of 2022. In its first-half earnings report on Tuesday, Gazprom announced a record 2.5 trillion rubles ($41.75 billion) net profit. The jump in the group’s share price sent Russia’s dollar RTS index 3.6 percent higher and Russia’s MOEX ruble index 4.7 percent higher by late morning in Moscow. Gazprom’s rise in profits comes amid shaky relations with its customers in Europe. The EU has been frantically trying to reduce its dependence on Russian gas after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while still being heavily dependent on such supplies in the bloc. Gazprom, meanwhile, has significantly reduced gas flows to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline citing maintenance issues and international sanctions, leading European officials to accuse Russia of using gas supplies as a way of “blackmail”. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline has been shut down on Wednesday due to the outage due to several days. Gazprom again said this was due to a compressor unit requiring maintenance. — Eliot Smith
EU split over tightening travel rules for Russians
The EU’s foreign policy chief urged warring states on Wednesday to settle their differences over travel restrictions for Russian citizens and said Europe must remain united in defying Moscow six months after the invasion of Ukraine . Josep Borrell made his warning as European Union foreign ministers gathered in Prague for a second day of talks where they were expected to agree in principle to suspend the visa facilitation deal with Moscow. This step would make Russians wait longer and pay more for visas to travel to EU countries. European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks during a press conference after the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on September 20, 2021 in New York. Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images But the 27 member states have been stubbornly divided over whether to go further and impose a blanket ban on tourism, despite repeated calls from Ukraine to make ordinary Russians pay for the invasion. Some EU states have already restricted entry to Russians. Eastern and Nordic countries are pushing for a total ban, while Germany and France have warned their counterparts that it would be counterproductive. “We will have to reach an agreement and a political decision,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters upon arrival at the Prague meeting. — Reuters
Nord Stream 1 gas supplies to Europe halted again for more ‘maintenance’
Russia has drastically cut gas supplies to Europe in recent weeks, with flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline currently operating at just 20% of the agreed volume. Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Russian gas giant Gazprom has halted supplies to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in a planned “maintenance outage” expected to last until September 3. Russian gas supplies to Europe have been unpredictable and volatile this summer with Gazprom cutting flows along the pipeline, which runs from Russia to Germany, both in June and later in July. Gazprom said the decline in gas flows was due to maintenance issues and blamed international sanctions for delays in replacing a key turbine at the Portovaya compressor station, the pipeline’s original compressor station. International analysts say Russia is using the gas supplies as a way to pressure Europe, which is seeking to limit its use of Russian gas because of the war in Ukraine, and as a way to get sanctions relief. Gazprom said in a statement in mid-August that during the current outage, the only gas compressor unit in operation will be shut down “for a period of preventive maintenance” and that if no malfunctions are found, “gas transportation will resume in the rate of 33 million cubic meters per day.” This is only about 20% of the pipeline’s full capacity. — Holly Elliott
Ukraine has pushed front line ‘some distance in places’, UK says
Pro-Ukraine volunteers from Chechnya train near Kyiv. The Zelenskyy government has shown growing confidence in recent weeks, increasingly taking the initiative in a conflict that the Kremlin itself has admitted has stalled. Genya Savilov | Afp | Getty Images Ukrainian armored forces have continued to attack Russia’s southern forces on multiple axes in southern Ukraine since Monday, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday. “Ukrainian formations have pushed the front line back in some places, taking advantage of relatively weak Russian defenses,” the ministry said on Twitter, adding that “Russia will likely now try to cover gaps in its line using pre-arranged mobile reserves units.” Russia continues to try to build up new reinforcements for its forces in Ukraine, the ministry said in its intelligence report, and may resort to using poorly trained troops. “Volunteer battalions of the new 3rd Army Corps had departed from their base near Moscow by August 24, most likely for further deployment in Ukraine. The operational effectiveness of these units is not known. The 3rd Army Corps is most likely short personnel and these troops had limited training.’ — Holly Elliott
IAEA convoy leaves Kyiv for dangerous visit to Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
A Russian military man patrols the grounds of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Energodar on May 1, 2022. Europe’s largest nuclear plant has become a battleground for the conflict, with both sides accusing each other of attacks on and around the complex. Andrey Borodulin | Afp | Getty Images An International Atomic Energy Agency convoy was seen leaving Kyiv bound for the Zaporizhzhian nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine on Wednesday morning, a witness told Reuters. Europe’s largest nuclear power plant has become a battleground for the conflict, with both sides blaming each other for attacks in and around the complex. Fighting around the facilities has fueled fears of an increased risk of nuclear fallout. Russian forces remain in control of the factory. On Monday, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that IAEA Director General Raphael Grossi would lead a team of 14 inspectors to the nuclear plant. The goal of the mission, the agency said, is “to help ensure nuclear safety and security at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and undertake vital safeguards activities.” Before the visit, both Ukraine and Russia repeatedly accused each other of bombing the plant. Ukraine says Russia has turned the factory into a warehouse for ammunition and equipment. Yesterday, Ukraine accused Russia of bombing the designated travel corridor that the IAEA team would use to reach it. Russia did not respond to this charge and claimed that Ukraine had bombed the plant again. It said radioactivity levels were within normal levels on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly speech on Tuesday that Ukraine will do everything it can to keep the IAEA mission safe. “Their mission is an important mission and we are doing everything we can to make it safe and fully operational,” he said, adding that Russia has not stopped its “provocations” in areas where the IAEA mission should visit. “I hope that the IAEA mission will be able to start its activities. The situation in ZNPP and Enerhodar and the surrounding areas remains extremely dangerous….
title: “Latest News On Russia And The War In Ukraine Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-16” author: “Shelley Castillo”
“These operations are very complex operations. We are going to a war zone, we will go to occupied territories, and this requires express guarantees not only from the Russian Federation, but also from the Republic of Ukraine. And we were able to secure this,” said General IAEA director Rafael Grossi told reporters as the delegation prepared to depart Kyiv this morning, Reuters reported. “We have a very important task there to perform – to assess the actual situation there, to help stabilize the situation as much as we can.” International Atomic Energy Agency and United Nations personnel prepare to depart for Zaporizhia from a hotel in Kyiv, Ukraine on August 31, 2022. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images He said the team would spend a few days in Zaporizhzhia, an area of heavy fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops, and return after the mission. Russia took control of the nuclear plant – Europe’s largest of its kind – near the start of the invasion, and concerns have grown of a possible nuclear disaster due to shelling near the complex. Ukraine accused Russia of bombing the travel corridor the IAEA team would take to reach the power plant and said Moscow was planning “provocations” during the visit. Russia in turn has accused Ukraine of planning similar action, an accusation that Kyiv has rejected. Ukraine demanded the complete demilitarization of the plant and the withdrawal of all Russian military personnel. Having met Groshy yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “only the demilitarization of the ZNPP and the return to Ukraine under its full control will eliminate all danger.” — Holly Elliott
Russia’s Gazprom rallies more than 20% after earnings and dividend announcement
Russia’s Gazprom saw its shares rise on Wednesday after it reported strong first-half profits and announced a new dividend to shareholders. Stoyan Vassev | Press Service of Gazprom Neft | via Reuters Russian gas giant Gazprom posted record first-half profits and promised new dividends to shareholders, sending its shares soaring more than 27 percent in early Moscow trading on Wednesday. The majority state energy company said its board had proposed a dividend of 51.03 Russian rubles ($0.85) per common share for the first half of 2022. In its first-half earnings report on Tuesday, Gazprom announced a record 2.5 trillion rubles ($41.75 billion) net profit. The jump in the group’s share price sent Russia’s dollar RTS index 3.6 percent higher and Russia’s MOEX ruble index 4.7 percent higher by late morning in Moscow. Gazprom’s rise in profits comes amid shaky relations with its customers in Europe. The EU has been frantically trying to reduce its dependence on Russian gas after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while still being heavily dependent on such supplies in the bloc. Gazprom, meanwhile, has significantly reduced gas flows to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline citing maintenance issues and international sanctions, leading European officials to accuse Russia of using gas supplies as a way of “blackmail”. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline has been shut down on Wednesday due to the outage due to several days. Gazprom again said this was due to a compressor unit requiring maintenance. — Eliot Smith
EU split over tightening travel rules for Russians
The EU’s foreign policy chief urged warring states on Wednesday to settle their differences over travel restrictions for Russian citizens and said Europe must remain united in defying Moscow six months after the invasion of Ukraine . Josep Borrell made his warning as European Union foreign ministers gathered in Prague for a second day of talks where they were expected to agree in principle to suspend the visa facilitation deal with Moscow. This step would make Russians wait longer and pay more for visas to travel to EU countries. European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks during a press conference after the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on September 20, 2021 in New York. Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images But the 27 member states have been stubbornly divided over whether to go further and impose a blanket ban on tourism, despite repeated calls from Ukraine to make ordinary Russians pay for the invasion. Some EU states have already restricted entry to Russians. Eastern and Nordic countries are pushing for a total ban, while Germany and France have warned their counterparts that it would be counterproductive. “We will have to reach an agreement and a political decision,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters upon arrival at the Prague meeting. — Reuters
Nord Stream 1 gas supplies to Europe halted again for more ‘maintenance’
Russia has drastically cut gas supplies to Europe in recent weeks, with flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline currently operating at just 20% of the agreed volume. Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Russian gas giant Gazprom has halted supplies to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in a planned “maintenance outage” expected to last until September 3. Russian gas supplies to Europe have been unpredictable and volatile this summer with Gazprom cutting flows along the pipeline, which runs from Russia to Germany, both in June and later in July. Gazprom said the decline in gas flows was due to maintenance issues and blamed international sanctions for delays in replacing a key turbine at the Portovaya compressor station, the pipeline’s original compressor station. International analysts say Russia is using the gas supplies as a way to pressure Europe, which is seeking to limit its use of Russian gas because of the war in Ukraine, and as a way to get sanctions relief. Gazprom said in a statement in mid-August that during the current outage, the only gas compressor unit in operation will be shut down “for a period of preventive maintenance” and that if no malfunctions are found, “gas transportation will resume in the rate of 33 million cubic meters per day.” This is only about 20% of the pipeline’s full capacity. — Holly Elliott
Ukraine has pushed front line ‘some distance in places’, UK says
Pro-Ukraine volunteers from Chechnya train near Kyiv. The Zelenskyy government has shown growing confidence in recent weeks, increasingly taking the initiative in a conflict that the Kremlin itself has admitted has stalled. Genya Savilov | Afp | Getty Images Ukrainian armored forces have continued to attack Russia’s southern forces on multiple axes in southern Ukraine since Monday, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday. “Ukrainian formations have pushed the front line back in some places, taking advantage of relatively weak Russian defenses,” the ministry said on Twitter, adding that “Russia will likely now try to cover gaps in its line using pre-arranged mobile reserves units.” Russia continues to try to build up new reinforcements for its forces in Ukraine, the ministry said in its intelligence report, and may resort to using poorly trained troops. “Volunteer battalions of the new 3rd Army Corps had departed from their base near Moscow by August 24, most likely for further deployment in Ukraine. The operational effectiveness of these units is not known. The 3rd Army Corps is most likely short personnel and these troops had limited training.’ — Holly Elliott
IAEA convoy leaves Kyiv for dangerous visit to Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
A Russian military man patrols the grounds of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Energodar on May 1, 2022. Europe’s largest nuclear plant has become a battleground for the conflict, with both sides accusing each other of attacks on and around the complex. Andrey Borodulin | Afp | Getty Images An International Atomic Energy Agency convoy was seen leaving Kyiv bound for the Zaporizhzhian nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine on Wednesday morning, a witness told Reuters. Europe’s largest nuclear power plant has become a battleground for the conflict, with both sides blaming each other for attacks in and around the complex. Fighting around the facilities has fueled fears of an increased risk of nuclear fallout. Russian forces remain in control of the factory. On Monday, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that IAEA Director General Raphael Grossi would lead a team of 14 inspectors to the nuclear plant. The goal of the mission, the agency said, is “to help ensure nuclear safety and security at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and undertake vital safeguards activities.” Before the visit, both Ukraine and Russia repeatedly accused each other of bombing the plant. Ukraine says Russia has turned the factory into a warehouse for ammunition and equipment. Yesterday, Ukraine accused Russia of bombing the designated travel corridor that the IAEA team would use to reach it. Russia did not respond to this charge and claimed that Ukraine had bombed the plant again. It said radioactivity levels were within normal levels on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly speech on Tuesday that Ukraine will do everything it can to keep the IAEA mission safe. “Their mission is an important mission and we are doing everything we can to make it safe and fully operational,” he said, adding that Russia has not stopped its “provocations” in areas where the IAEA mission should visit. “I hope that the IAEA mission will be able to start its activities. The situation in ZNPP and Enerhodar and the surrounding areas remains extremely dangerous….
title: “Latest News On Russia And The War In Ukraine Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-11” author: “Ellen Zimmerman”
“These operations are very complex operations. We are going to a war zone, we will go to occupied territories, and this requires express guarantees not only from the Russian Federation, but also from the Republic of Ukraine. And we were able to secure this,” said General IAEA director Rafael Grossi told reporters as the delegation prepared to depart Kyiv this morning, Reuters reported. “We have a very important task there to perform – to assess the actual situation there, to help stabilize the situation as much as we can.” International Atomic Energy Agency and United Nations personnel prepare to depart for Zaporizhia from a hotel in Kyiv, Ukraine on August 31, 2022. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images He said the team would spend a few days in Zaporizhzhia, an area of heavy fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops, and return after the mission. Russia took control of the nuclear plant – Europe’s largest of its kind – near the start of the invasion, and concerns have grown of a possible nuclear disaster due to shelling near the complex. Ukraine accused Russia of bombing the travel corridor the IAEA team would take to reach the power plant and said Moscow was planning “provocations” during the visit. Russia in turn has accused Ukraine of planning similar action, an accusation that Kyiv has rejected. Ukraine demanded the complete demilitarization of the plant and the withdrawal of all Russian military personnel. Having met Groshy yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “only the demilitarization of the ZNPP and the return to Ukraine under its full control will eliminate all danger.” — Holly Elliott
Russia’s Gazprom rallies more than 20% after earnings and dividend announcement
Russia’s Gazprom saw its shares rise on Wednesday after it reported strong first-half profits and announced a new dividend to shareholders. Stoyan Vassev | Press Service of Gazprom Neft | via Reuters Russian gas giant Gazprom posted record first-half profits and promised new dividends to shareholders, sending its shares soaring more than 27 percent in early Moscow trading on Wednesday. The majority state energy company said its board had proposed a dividend of 51.03 Russian rubles ($0.85) per common share for the first half of 2022. In its first-half earnings report on Tuesday, Gazprom announced a record 2.5 trillion rubles ($41.75 billion) net profit. The jump in the group’s share price sent Russia’s dollar RTS index 3.6 percent higher and Russia’s MOEX ruble index 4.7 percent higher by late morning in Moscow. Gazprom’s rise in profits comes amid shaky relations with its customers in Europe. The EU has been frantically trying to reduce its dependence on Russian gas after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while still being heavily dependent on such supplies in the bloc. Gazprom, meanwhile, has significantly reduced gas flows to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline citing maintenance issues and international sanctions, leading European officials to accuse Russia of using gas supplies as a way of “blackmail”. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline has been shut down on Wednesday due to the outage due to several days. Gazprom again said this was due to a compressor unit requiring maintenance. — Eliot Smith
EU split over tightening travel rules for Russians
The EU’s foreign policy chief urged warring states on Wednesday to settle their differences over travel restrictions for Russian citizens and said Europe must remain united in defying Moscow six months after the invasion of Ukraine . Josep Borrell made his warning as European Union foreign ministers gathered in Prague for a second day of talks where they were expected to agree in principle to suspend the visa facilitation deal with Moscow. This step would make Russians wait longer and pay more for visas to travel to EU countries. European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks during a press conference after the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on September 20, 2021 in New York. Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images But the 27 member states have been stubbornly divided over whether to go further and impose a blanket ban on tourism, despite repeated calls from Ukraine to make ordinary Russians pay for the invasion. Some EU states have already restricted entry to Russians. Eastern and Nordic countries are pushing for a total ban, while Germany and France have warned their counterparts that it would be counterproductive. “We will have to reach an agreement and a political decision,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters upon arrival at the Prague meeting. — Reuters
Nord Stream 1 gas supplies to Europe halted again for more ‘maintenance’
Russia has drastically cut gas supplies to Europe in recent weeks, with flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline currently operating at just 20% of the agreed volume. Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Russian gas giant Gazprom has halted supplies to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in a planned “maintenance outage” expected to last until September 3. Russian gas supplies to Europe have been unpredictable and volatile this summer with Gazprom cutting flows along the pipeline, which runs from Russia to Germany, both in June and later in July. Gazprom said the decline in gas flows was due to maintenance issues and blamed international sanctions for delays in replacing a key turbine at the Portovaya compressor station, the pipeline’s original compressor station. International analysts say Russia is using the gas supplies as a way to pressure Europe, which is seeking to limit its use of Russian gas because of the war in Ukraine, and as a way to get sanctions relief. Gazprom said in a statement in mid-August that during the current outage, the only gas compressor unit in operation will be shut down “for a period of preventive maintenance” and that if no malfunctions are found, “gas transportation will resume in the rate of 33 million cubic meters per day.” This is only about 20% of the pipeline’s full capacity. — Holly Elliott
Ukraine has pushed front line ‘some distance in places’, UK says
Pro-Ukraine volunteers from Chechnya train near Kyiv. The Zelenskyy government has shown growing confidence in recent weeks, increasingly taking the initiative in a conflict that the Kremlin itself has admitted has stalled. Genya Savilov | Afp | Getty Images Ukrainian armored forces have continued to attack Russia’s southern forces on multiple axes in southern Ukraine since Monday, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday. “Ukrainian formations have pushed the front line back in some places, taking advantage of relatively weak Russian defenses,” the ministry said on Twitter, adding that “Russia will likely now try to cover gaps in its line using pre-arranged mobile reserves units.” Russia continues to try to build up new reinforcements for its forces in Ukraine, the ministry said in its intelligence report, and may resort to using poorly trained troops. “Volunteer battalions of the new 3rd Army Corps had departed from their base near Moscow by August 24, most likely for further deployment in Ukraine. The operational effectiveness of these units is not known. The 3rd Army Corps is most likely short personnel and these troops had limited training.’ — Holly Elliott
IAEA convoy leaves Kyiv for dangerous visit to Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
A Russian military man patrols the grounds of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Energodar on May 1, 2022. Europe’s largest nuclear plant has become a battleground for the conflict, with both sides accusing each other of attacks on and around the complex. Andrey Borodulin | Afp | Getty Images An International Atomic Energy Agency convoy was seen leaving Kyiv bound for the Zaporizhzhian nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine on Wednesday morning, a witness told Reuters. Europe’s largest nuclear power plant has become a battleground for the conflict, with both sides blaming each other for attacks in and around the complex. Fighting around the facilities has fueled fears of an increased risk of nuclear fallout. Russian forces remain in control of the factory. On Monday, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that IAEA Director General Raphael Grossi would lead a team of 14 inspectors to the nuclear plant. The goal of the mission, the agency said, is “to help ensure nuclear safety and security at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and undertake vital safeguards activities.” Before the visit, both Ukraine and Russia repeatedly accused each other of bombing the plant. Ukraine says Russia has turned the factory into a warehouse for ammunition and equipment. Yesterday, Ukraine accused Russia of bombing the designated travel corridor that the IAEA team would use to reach it. Russia did not respond to this charge and claimed that Ukraine had bombed the plant again. It said radioactivity levels were within normal levels on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly speech on Tuesday that Ukraine will do everything it can to keep the IAEA mission safe. “Their mission is an important mission and we are doing everything we can to make it safe and fully operational,” he said, adding that Russia has not stopped its “provocations” in areas where the IAEA mission should visit. “I hope that the IAEA mission will be able to start its activities. The situation in ZNPP and Enerhodar and the surrounding areas remains extremely dangerous….
title: “Latest News On Russia And The War In Ukraine Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-15” author: “Meredith Alexander”
“These operations are very complex operations. We are going to a war zone, we will go to occupied territories, and this requires express guarantees not only from the Russian Federation, but also from the Republic of Ukraine. And we were able to secure this,” said General IAEA director Rafael Grossi told reporters as the delegation prepared to depart Kyiv this morning, Reuters reported. “We have a very important task there to perform – to assess the actual situation there, to help stabilize the situation as much as we can.” International Atomic Energy Agency and United Nations personnel prepare to depart for Zaporizhia from a hotel in Kyiv, Ukraine on August 31, 2022. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images He said the team would spend a few days in Zaporizhzhia, an area of heavy fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops, and return after the mission. Russia took control of the nuclear plant – Europe’s largest of its kind – near the start of the invasion, and concerns have grown of a possible nuclear disaster due to shelling near the complex. Ukraine accused Russia of bombing the travel corridor the IAEA team would take to reach the power plant and said Moscow was planning “provocations” during the visit. Russia in turn has accused Ukraine of planning similar action, an accusation that Kyiv has rejected. Ukraine demanded the complete demilitarization of the plant and the withdrawal of all Russian military personnel. Having met Groshy yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “only the demilitarization of the ZNPP and the return to Ukraine under its full control will eliminate all danger.” — Holly Elliott
Russia’s Gazprom rallies more than 20% after earnings and dividend announcement
Russia’s Gazprom saw its shares rise on Wednesday after it reported strong first-half profits and announced a new dividend to shareholders. Stoyan Vassev | Press Service of Gazprom Neft | via Reuters Russian gas giant Gazprom posted record first-half profits and promised new dividends to shareholders, sending its shares soaring more than 27 percent in early Moscow trading on Wednesday. The majority state energy company said its board had proposed a dividend of 51.03 Russian rubles ($0.85) per common share for the first half of 2022. In its first-half earnings report on Tuesday, Gazprom announced a record 2.5 trillion rubles ($41.75 billion) net profit. The jump in the group’s share price sent Russia’s dollar RTS index 3.6 percent higher and Russia’s MOEX ruble index 4.7 percent higher by late morning in Moscow. Gazprom’s rise in profits comes amid shaky relations with its customers in Europe. The EU has been frantically trying to reduce its dependence on Russian gas after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while still being heavily dependent on such supplies in the bloc. Gazprom, meanwhile, has significantly reduced gas flows to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline citing maintenance issues and international sanctions, leading European officials to accuse Russia of using gas supplies as a way of “blackmail”. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline has been shut down on Wednesday due to the outage due to several days. Gazprom again said this was due to a compressor unit requiring maintenance. — Eliot Smith
EU split over tightening travel rules for Russians
The EU’s foreign policy chief urged warring states on Wednesday to settle their differences over travel restrictions for Russian citizens and said Europe must remain united in defying Moscow six months after the invasion of Ukraine . Josep Borrell made his warning as European Union foreign ministers gathered in Prague for a second day of talks where they were expected to agree in principle to suspend the visa facilitation deal with Moscow. This step would make Russians wait longer and pay more for visas to travel to EU countries. European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks during a press conference after the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on September 20, 2021 in New York. Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images But the 27 member states have been stubbornly divided over whether to go further and impose a blanket ban on tourism, despite repeated calls from Ukraine to make ordinary Russians pay for the invasion. Some EU states have already restricted entry to Russians. Eastern and Nordic countries are pushing for a total ban, while Germany and France have warned their counterparts that it would be counterproductive. “We will have to reach an agreement and a political decision,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters upon arrival at the Prague meeting. — Reuters
Nord Stream 1 gas supplies to Europe halted again for more ‘maintenance’
Russia has drastically cut gas supplies to Europe in recent weeks, with flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline currently operating at just 20% of the agreed volume. Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Russian gas giant Gazprom has halted supplies to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in a planned “maintenance outage” expected to last until September 3. Russian gas supplies to Europe have been unpredictable and volatile this summer with Gazprom cutting flows along the pipeline, which runs from Russia to Germany, both in June and later in July. Gazprom said the decline in gas flows was due to maintenance issues and blamed international sanctions for delays in replacing a key turbine at the Portovaya compressor station, the pipeline’s original compressor station. International analysts say Russia is using the gas supplies as a way to pressure Europe, which is seeking to limit its use of Russian gas because of the war in Ukraine, and as a way to get sanctions relief. Gazprom said in a statement in mid-August that during the current outage, the only gas compressor unit in operation will be shut down “for a period of preventive maintenance” and that if no malfunctions are found, “gas transportation will resume in the rate of 33 million cubic meters per day.” This is only about 20% of the pipeline’s full capacity. — Holly Elliott
Ukraine has pushed front line ‘some distance in places’, UK says
Pro-Ukraine volunteers from Chechnya train near Kyiv. The Zelenskyy government has shown growing confidence in recent weeks, increasingly taking the initiative in a conflict that the Kremlin itself has admitted has stalled. Genya Savilov | Afp | Getty Images Ukrainian armored forces have continued to attack Russia’s southern forces on multiple axes in southern Ukraine since Monday, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday. “Ukrainian formations have pushed the front line back in some places, taking advantage of relatively weak Russian defenses,” the ministry said on Twitter, adding that “Russia will likely now try to cover gaps in its line using pre-arranged mobile reserves units.” Russia continues to try to build up new reinforcements for its forces in Ukraine, the ministry said in its intelligence report, and may resort to using poorly trained troops. “Volunteer battalions of the new 3rd Army Corps had departed from their base near Moscow by August 24, most likely for further deployment in Ukraine. The operational effectiveness of these units is not known. The 3rd Army Corps is most likely short personnel and these troops had limited training.’ — Holly Elliott
IAEA convoy leaves Kyiv for dangerous visit to Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
A Russian military man patrols the grounds of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Energodar on May 1, 2022. Europe’s largest nuclear plant has become a battleground for the conflict, with both sides accusing each other of attacks on and around the complex. Andrey Borodulin | Afp | Getty Images An International Atomic Energy Agency convoy was seen leaving Kyiv bound for the Zaporizhzhian nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine on Wednesday morning, a witness told Reuters. Europe’s largest nuclear power plant has become a battleground for the conflict, with both sides blaming each other for attacks in and around the complex. Fighting around the facilities has fueled fears of an increased risk of nuclear fallout. Russian forces remain in control of the factory. On Monday, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that IAEA Director General Raphael Grossi would lead a team of 14 inspectors to the nuclear plant. The goal of the mission, the agency said, is “to help ensure nuclear safety and security at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and undertake vital safeguards activities.” Before the visit, both Ukraine and Russia repeatedly accused each other of bombing the plant. Ukraine says Russia has turned the factory into a warehouse for ammunition and equipment. Yesterday, Ukraine accused Russia of bombing the designated travel corridor that the IAEA team would use to reach it. Russia did not respond to this charge and claimed that Ukraine had bombed the plant again. It said radioactivity levels were within normal levels on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly speech on Tuesday that Ukraine will do everything it can to keep the IAEA mission safe. “Their mission is an important mission and we are doing everything we can to make it safe and fully operational,” he said, adding that Russia has not stopped its “provocations” in areas where the IAEA mission should visit. “I hope that the IAEA mission will be able to start its activities. The situation in ZNPP and Enerhodar and the surrounding areas remains extremely dangerous….
