The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today called for “maximum restraint” around the nuclear power plant in Russia’s Kursk region, where fighting has raged since Ukrainian forces invaded.
“At this stage, I would like to appeal to all sides to show maximum restraint in order to avoid a nuclear accident,” IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said in a statement.
Earlier today, regional governor Alexei Smirnov announced that power had been cut in the city of Kurchatov, where the nuclear power plant, one of the largest in all of Russia, is located.
In his Telegram post, Smirnov says that debris from a Ukrainian drone fell into a substation of the electricity distribution network in the Kursk region, knocking out electricity in this city of 42,000 people.
Four days of fighting
After the surprise invasion of Ukrainian forces in the Russian Kursk region, heavy fighting has been raging in the wider region for four days.
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced today that its forces “continue to repel” a Ukrainian attempt to infiltrate the Kursk region.
Russian forces have been fighting Ukrainian troops for a fourth day after Ukrainians crossed the Russian border on Tuesday.
“The operation to destroy formations of the Ukrainian army continues,” the Russian ministry announced, assuring that the Ukrainian attacks were “failing.”
But video, released today on social media and verified by Reuters, shows a phalanx of burning Russian military trucks along a highway in the Kursk region.
About 15 trucks are seen in the video, including one bearing the Z-mark used by Russia as a symbol of its “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Reuters was able to identify the location as the village of Oktyabrskoye based on buildings, trees and the road, but was unable to pinpoint exactly when the video was taken.
Ukrainian forces staged an ambush on a Russian convoy 35 kilometers inside the international border in Russia’s Kursk region pic.twitter.com/zvCm3tY0ir
— Mediazona English (@mediazona_en) August 9, 2024
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