Scouting and sabotage squads on the move Concerns about fighting at the Russian Kursk nuclear power plant

In view of the Ukrainian advance into the Russian region of Kursk, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is warning of possible dangers for the nuclear power plant there. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called on both sides to adhere to the rules for nuclear safety in conflict zones.

There are reports of "significant military activity" in the region, Grossi said in Vienna. "At this time, I would like to appeal to all sides to exercise maximum restraint in order to avoid a nuclear accident with potentially serious radiation consequences."

The actual scope and exact objectives of the Ukrainian advance across the border since Tuesday remain unclear. In response, the Russian army shelled a supermarket in the eastern Ukrainian town of Kostyantynivka on Friday, killing at least 14 people and injuring a further 40. "This is deliberate and targeted Russian terror," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in his evening video address. "Another war crime for which the occupier will be held accountable." Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion for almost two and a half years. During the night, the Russian air force bombarded the Ukrainian region of Sumy with glide bombs.

The Russian regions of Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod have been declared anti-terrorist operation zones due to concerns about Ukrainian scouts and sabotage squads, as reported by the state news agency Tass. These are the three areas where Russian and Ukrainian forces face each other directly on the border. The security forces have been given additional powers to combat terrorism.

Tensions at the Kursk nuclear power plant

With regard to the Kursk nuclear power plant, Grossi, as head of the Atomic Energy Authority, reminded both Russia and Ukraine of the principles for the safety of nuclear facilities in crisis areas. And he recalled the additional rules that had been drawn up for the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine "and which are also applicable to this case". It does not matter where a nuclear power plant is located.

Although it is completely unclear whether the Ukrainian advance is aimed at the Kursk nuclear power plant, nervousness is growing there. Since Wednesday, the Russian National Guard has been stepping up protection of the nuclear plant in the town of Kurchatov, which is around 60 kilometers from the border. The furthest advances by Ukrainian troops, which were reported without confirmation, only reached a good half as far into Russia. However, some of the workers building two new reactors at the plant were temporarily withdrawn, according to the construction company Atomstrojeksport.

Power was cut in the city of Kurchatov and the surrounding area due to a Ukrainian drone strike. This was announced by the acting governor of Kursk, Alexander Smirnov, on Telegram. Russia also informed the IAEA that parts of Ukrainian missiles had been found on the site of the nuclear power plant. However, there had been no direct shelling, according to a letter from the Russian representation to the international organizations in Vienna. The information on this find could not be independently verified.

Ukraine replenishes prisoner exchange fund

The Ukrainian leadership did not comment on the advance of its army with tanks and artillery on Russian territory. However, in his video message on Friday evening, Zelensky thanked the soldiers who had taken Russian prisoners. "This is extremely important, and it has been particularly successful over the past three days," he said. If the exchange fund is filled, more Ukrainian prisoners can be released from Russia. Since the advance began on Tuesday, there have been several videos showing groups of Russian soldiers being captured. These included border guards at the Sudzha crossing.

There was still little reliable information on the military situation in this combat zone. A video showing Ukrainian soldiers at the Sudzha gas measuring station went viral on the Ukrainian television station Hromadske. An important Russian natural gas pipeline runs from there towards Ukraine and Central Europe. The Russian military blog Rybar reported that the situation had stabilized since the previous days. "But it is too early to say that we have taken the initiative."

In its evening report, the Ukrainian General Staff spoke of 70 battles along the front in the east and south of the country. Even if the exact number cannot be verified, it is lower than in previous days. According to the report, the fighting was particularly fierce on the Pokrovsk section of the front in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk.

USA provides Ukraine with more military aid

The USA is providing Ukraine with additional military aid of around 125 million US dollars (around 114 million euros) to ward off the Russian war of aggression. This includes "interceptor missiles for air defense, ammunition for missile systems and artillery, multi-purpose radars and anti-tank weapons", announced US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. This is the tenth package of its kind. Over the past few months, the USA has provided several tranches step by step after the US Congress released new funds for Kiev at the end of April amounting to around 61 billion US dollars (56.2 billion euros).

SDA