Russia fires rockets at towns near nuclear plant after Western leaders urge restraint near site

Rocket fire close to Zaporizhzhia reactor complex stirs fears of nuclear disaster

Russia has fired rockets at towns to the west of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine, just one day after Western leaders called for military restraint around the site to ensure its safety.

Artillery and rocket fire close to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor complex, on the Russian-occupied south bank of the Dnipro River, has stirred fears of a nuclear disaster and calls for the surrounding area to be demilitarised.

Ukraine and Russia have traded blame for the repeated shelling, some of which has grazed the plant. It was seized by Russian forces shortly after they invaded Ukraine in February but is still run mainly by Ukrainian technicians.

Overnight, Russian rockets were fired into Nikopol, across the Dnipro from Russian-occupied Enerhodar where the nuclear plant is situated, and nearby Krivyi Rih and Synelnykovsky districts. It left at least four people injured, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko wrote on Telegram.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraine also reported a Russian missile strike on Voznesensk, to the southwest and not far from the country’s second-largest atomic power station.

It comes after British prime minister Boris Johnson, US president Joe Biden, German chancellor Olaf Scholz and French president Emmanuel Macron held a phone call on Sunday stressing the importance of ensuring the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear installations.

They also welcomed recent discussions on enabling a mission by the UN nuclear watchdog agency to Zaporizhzhia, while reaffirming their “steadfast commitment” to support Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion.

Satellite image shows the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (Maxar Tech)

A White House spokesman said in a statement after the call: “The leaders affirmed their continued support for Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russian aggression. They also discussed the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, including the need to avoid military operations near the plant and the importance of an IAEA visit as soon as feasible to ascertain the state of safety systems.”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned of the risk of more severe attacks ahead of the country’s 31st anniversary on Wednesday of independence from Russian-dominated Soviet rule.

Local authorities in Kyiv have banned large public events, rallies and other gatherings related to the anniversary in the capital from Monday until Thursday due to the possibility of rocket attacks, according to a document published by the Kyiv military administration.

Mr Zelensky warned that Moscow could try “something particularly ugly” in the run-up to Wednesday, which also marks half a year since the war began.

He said he had discussed “all the threats” with his French counterpart and word had also been sent to other leaders including Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan and UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres.

“All of Ukraine’s partners have been informed about what the terrorist state can prepare for this week,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address, referring to Russia.

The Financial Times, in an article published on Sunday, quoted Gennady Gatilov, Moscow’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, as saying Mr Erdogan had tried to facilitate dialogue. But he dismissed speculation about talks between Mr Zelensky and Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying there was no “practical platform for having this meeting”, the report said.

In an update on Monday, Ukraine’s general staff said Russian forces had made incremental advances into the Blagodnatne area in the direction of the city of Mykolaiv, a major target in the south.

Russia was also trying to regain momentum towards Pisky, Bakhmut and Kramatorsk, key towns in Donetsk province which, along with neighbouring Luhansk, captured by Moscow’s forces earlier in the summer, comprise the eastern Donbas region.

Russian artillery and multiple rocket launcher systems hammered the areas of Soledar, Zaytseve and Bilogorivka near Bakhmut, the Ukrainian military command’s update said. At least two civilians were killed, the regional administration said. Russia denies targeting civilians.

In Russia, authorities are continuing to investigate a suspected car bomb attack outside Moscow that killed the daughter of Alexander Dugin, an ultra-nationalist Russian ideologue who advocates Russia absorbing Ukraine.

While investigators said they were considering “all versions” when it came to establishing who was responsible, the Russian foreign ministry speculated there could be a link to Ukraine, something an adviser for Mr Zelensky dismissed.

“Ukraine, of course, had nothing to do with this because we are not a criminal state, like the Russian Federation, and moreover we are not a terrorist state,” Mykhailo Podolyak said on Ukrainian TV.