Ukraine war: Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns ‘serious threat’ remains at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant – as Russia launches drone attack on Kyiv
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine remains a “serious threat”.
Citing Ukrainian intelligence, the country’s president said Russia was “technically ready” to provoke a localised explosion at the facility.
It comes as Russia launched an overnight drone attack on Kyiv after a 12-day break, a Ukrainian military official said on Sunday, with air defence systems preliminarily destroying all targets on their approach.
“Another enemy attack on Kyiv,” Serhiy Popko, a colonel general who heads Kyiv’s military administration, said in a Telegram post.
“At this moment, there is no information about possible casualties or damage.”
Throughout the war nuclear experts have repeatedly raised concerns about the safety of the Zaporizhzhia plant, which Russia seized control of last March, due to shelling near and around it.
Ukrainian military intelligence previously said Moscow’s troops had mined Europe’s largest nuclear plant and claimed on Friday that the number of Russian personnel is gradually being reduced.
Mr Zelenskyy said: “There is a serious threat because Russia is technically ready to provoke a local explosion at the station, which could lead to a (radiation) release”, in a news conference in Kyiv with Spain’s prime minister.
He gave no further details and so far, Moscow has not commented on reports of the apparent drawdown at the plant.
Ukraine’s GUR claimed that Russian forces are “gradually leaving the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant”.
Among the first reported to have left were three staff from Russian state nuclear firm Rosatom who were “in charge of the Russians’ activities”.
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‘A nuclear catastrophe waiting to happen’
Special Russian military units guard the facility and a unit of Rosatom runs the plant.
Both sides have accused each other of shelling near the plant, amid ongoing fears about a potential disaster at the facility, which is just 500km from the site of the world’s worst nuclear accident, the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
On Friday, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said its experts have “so far found no visible indications of mines or other explosives currently planted” at the plant.
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It said its aware of reports that mines and other explosives have been placed in and around the plant – including mines near the cooling pond.
However, director general Rafael Mariano Grossi added that experts still need additional access to carry out further such checks at the site.
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There have been widespread reports that the Russians were mining several key areas inside the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
The concern here is that Russia has a track record of leaving a trail of devastation in its wake, as they did with the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam.
But, it looks very unlikely that Russia would look to destroy the nuclear plant itself. This would have long-term consequences.
Most analysts believe that Vladimir Putin retains long-term imperialist ambitions, and although progress of his military forces in Ukraine has been limited so far, he will have his eye on the long game.
Destroying the nuclear plant would devastate a huge area for generations to come and would not be a desirable outcome.
More likely is that the Russians could be planning to destroy or damage large areas of vital infrastructure at the nuclear plant to create a major distraction for the oncoming Ukrainian forces.
This would raise the spectre of nuclear disaster, and perhaps buy Russian forces time.
Sky News previously spoke to two workers at the plant who warned the consequences of a catastrophe could cause devastation across much of Europe, Russia and the Mediterranean.
The IAEA said its experts were able to inspect parts of the plant’s cooling system, including some sections of the perimeter of the large cooling pond and the isolation gate of the discharge channel of the nearby Zaporizhzhya Thermal Power Plant (ZTPP).
It said both this channel and the cooling pond hold reserves of water that remain available for use by the nuclear plant despite the recent destruction of the downstream Kakhovka Dam.
The biggest nuclear risk at the plant is from overheating nuclear fuel, which could happen if the power that drives the cooling systems is cut or if there is not enough water to supply the cooling systems. Shelling has repeatedly cut power lines.
England have booked their place in the semi-finals of the Women’s Euros after knocking out Sweden.
The Lionesses won 3-2 on penalties at Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland, after clawing their way back to take the game into extra-time.
The defending champions had been 2-0 down at half-time after goals from Sweden’s Kosovare Asllani and Stina Blackstenius in the quarter-final clash.
England then levelled matters towards the end of normal time. Lucy Bronze delivered the first England goal on 79 minutes, assisted by substitute Chloe Kelly. Two minutes later, Michelle Agyemang followed suit, taking the score to 2-2.
England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton (R) celebrates with teammates after the side beat Sweden. Pic: AP
Bronze’s penalty kept England’s hopes alive. Pic: Reuters
After a goalless extra-time, it was time for penalties.
Alessia Russo kicked things off, finding the back of the net for England, before Lauren James, Alex Greenwood, Beth Mead and Grace Clinton had their attempts saved by Sweden’s Jennifer Falk.
The game was sent into sudden death after Falk went face-to-face with England’s Hannah Hampton but sent the ball flying over the crossbar.
Pic: Reuters
A devastated Sweden. Pic: Reuters
It all came down to Sweden’s seventh penalty after Bronze sensationally scored, with 18-year-old Smilla Holmberg missing the chance to send her team through.
England will next face Italy in the semi-finals in Geneva on Tuesday.
‘That was crazy’
England boss Sarina Wiegman described the action as “one of the hardest games I’ve ever watched”.
Sarina Wiegman after the match. Pic: Reuters
“We could have been out of the game three or four times, when you’re 2-0 at half-time it’s not good,” she said after the match.
“Although we started really bad, at the end it got better, but we didn’t create anything so we had to change shape, and we score two goals – that was crazy.
“We miss a lot [of penalties], and they miss even more. I need to decompress, I think.”
Hannah Hampton still delivered with one nostril down. Pic: Reuters
Goalkeeper Hampton added that it was “stressful watching” and “stressful playing”.
The 24-year-old, who was left with a bloodied nose in extra-time, said: “Every time I saved one, I was just thinking ‘please put it in, so we have a bit of a cushion!’
“To be honest, I think I was better in the game when I had one nostril than when I was completely fine!”
She said it was the support of the England fans that helped the team push on. She said: “They were definitely behind me and I appreciate all the support.”
Michelle Agyemang reacts after levelling the game for the Lionesses. Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
Pressure was on the Lionesses after they won the tournament in 2022.
Their journey in the group stages started with a 2-1 defeat to France, but hopes were lifted after England sailed past the Netherlands and Wales to reach the knockout stages, finishing second in Group D.
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Sweden on the other hand went into Thursday’s game unbeaten in the tournament so far, having already defeated Germany, Poland and Denmark in the group stages.
By the time Hannah Hampton appeared in the news conference, the England goalkeeper was relieved, ecstatic and wanting to share this night far and wide.
So when her phone started ringing with a FaceTime call, she broke off speaking to the media about reaching the Euros semi-finals to answer it.
And then share the call with the room in Zurich.
After such a nerve-shredding night, this was the moment to relax and just savour it all.
Savour how close they came to throwing it all away against Sweden before staging a stirring comeback inspired by Lucy Bronze.
The 33-year-old scored the goal that began the fightback with 11 minutes to go and converted England’s final penalty in the shootout.
Lucy Bronze converted England’s final penalty. Pic: Reuters
“Lucy Bronze is one of a kind,” England manager Sarina Wiegman said. “It’s that resilience, that fight. I think the only way to get her off the pitch is in a wheelchair.”
The Lionesses looked down and out, 2-0 down after 25 minutes.
Completely outplayed. A defence run ragged. Just too sloppy.
“We said at half-time we don’t want to go home,” Hampton said. “So it’s up to us to turn the game around.”
Things were not looking good for England by half-time. Pic: Reuters
But the team managed to turn things around. Pic: Reuters
That only came after Wiegman deployed the substitutes the manager calls “finishers”.
They fulfilled their mission.
“Sweden in that moment had to adapt to some different things in the game,” Wiegman said, “before they could, it was 2-2.”
Within seconds of coming on, match-winner Chloe Kelly showed the missing spirit. The spirit that saw her score the Euro 2022 winner.
Pic: Reuters
A creator of two goals in 103 seconds.
A cross headed in with 11 minutes to go by Bronze – the only player still playing from the Euro 2013 group-stage elimination.
It was a lifeline seized on so quickly.
Another cross from Kelly was this time brought down by Beth Mead before Michelle Agyemang.
The timeliest of goals from the teen – a first tournament goal on her third appearance as a sub.
Teenager Michelle Agyemang reacts after scoring England’s second goal in normal time. Pic: Reuters
But there would be the anxiousness of extra time to follow, unable to find a breakthrough.
So to the shootout that lasted 14 penalties between them.
Hampton said: “It was stressful watching and playing, I thought every single time when I saved one, ‘Please score and give us a cushion’. I feel so happy and relieved.”
Around Alessia Russo and Kelly scoring there were four England misses before Bronze converted England’s seventh and Sweden missed a fifth.
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A frenzied 3-2 shootout win was complete.
“I can’t remember anything like this,” said Wiegman, who has only reached finals in her four tournaments with the Netherlands and England.
“I thought three times we were out,” she said.
But instead it’s off to Geneva for the European champions for a semi-final with Italy.
They’ll be hoping it’s less of a struggle, less dramatic – while just glad to have made it there.
Felix Baumgartner, the extreme athlete who once jumped from the edge of space, has died in a paragliding crash in Italy.
The 56-year-old Austrian lost control of his motorised paraglider while flying over Porto Sant’Elpidio in the central Marche region.
He then fell to the ground near the swimming pool of a hotel. The reasons for the accident were unclear.
According to reports, he fell ill and lost control.
Pic: AP
During the fall, he is thought to have hit a hotel employee, who was taken to hospital with neck injuries, according to Sky Sports Austria.
She was reportedly injured by a piece of debris that had been dislodged during the vehicle’s impact.
The mayor of Porto Sant’Elpidio, Massimiliano Ciarpella, offered the town’s condolences for the death of “a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flights”.
Mr Baumgartner is best known for smashing the world record for the highest skydive after leaping from the edge of space in October 2012.
He ascended to 128,097ft in a pressurised capsule suspended beneath a giant helium balloon.
He then jumped out, freefalling for four minutes and 19 seconds before opening his parachute.
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He made the historic jump over Roswell, New Mexico, reaching a peak speed of over 833mph (1,343kph).
Mr Baumgartner’s altitude record stood until 2014 when American computer scientist Alan Eustace did a jump from a height of 135,890ft.
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