Fire near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant brought under control, says Russian management
Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhia plant in the first weeks of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Both sides have accused each other of firing or taking other actions that could trigger a nuclear accident.
The plant's administration said on Telegram that a civilian had been killed in the shelling, but that no plant employees or members of the emergency services had been injured.
Reuters could not independently verify the Russian report.
The station, Europe's biggest nuclear power plant, is not operating but still requires power to keep its nuclear fuel cool.
The plant's Russia-installed management said radiation levels remained within normal levels and the situation was under control.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Five SDF members killed in ISIS attack
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) says five members were killed during an ISIS attack on a checkpoint at Deir al-Zor countryside on July 31, Reuters reports. Developing
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Ukrainian Anti-corruption Agencies Uncover Drone Procurement Graft Scheme
Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies said they had uncovered a major graft scheme involving inflated military procurement contracts, just two days after Ukraine's parliament voted to restore the agencies' independence. In a joint statement published Saturday on social media, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said the suspects had taken bribes in a scheme that used state funds to buy drones and other military equipment at inflated prices. 'The essence of the scheme was to conclude state contracts with supplier companies at deliberately inflated prices,' the statement said, adding that offenders had received kickbacks of up to 30% of the contracts' value. The anti-corruption bodies did not identify the detainees, but said a Ukrainian lawmaker, local district and city officials, and National Guard servicemen were involved. Four people have been arrested so far, they said. The Interior Ministry said the National Guard personnel implicated in the case were removed from their positions. Drones have become a crucial asset in modern warfare for both Ukraine and Russia, enhancing military reconnaissance, precision strikes, and strategic flexibility on the battlefield. The majority of Russian military assets destroyed by Ukrainian forces, including manpower and heavy weaponry, have been targeted by drones. Drone production is also a key aspect of Kyiv's hopes to expand domestic military production and export markets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the development in his nightly address on Saturday, calling the graft scheme 'absolutely immoral' and thanking the anti-corruption agencies for their work. 'Unfortunately, these corruption schemes involved the procurement of electronic warfare systems and FPV drones ... There must be full and fair accountability for this,' he said in his address, posted to X. In an earlier post, which also included photos of him meeting with the agency heads, Zelenskyy said it is 'important that anti-corruption institutions operate independently,' adding that 'the law passed on Thursday guarantees them all the tools necessary for a real fight against corruption.' The exposure of the graft scheme by NABU and SAPO came just two days after Ukraine's parliament voted to restore their independence. Ukraine's Parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly approved the bill presented by Zelenskyy, reversing his earlier contentious move that curbed their power and sparked a backlash, including street protests, a rarity in wartime. Last week's measure to place the watchdogs under the oversight of the prosecutor-general prompted rebukes from Ukrainians, the European Union and international rights groups. It raised fears that the government could meddle in investigations and potentially shield its supporters from scrutiny. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the European Union and maintain access to billions of dollars of vital Western aid in the all-out war, now in its fourth year. It's also an effort that enjoys broad public support.
Asharq Al-Awsat
9 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Four Workers Dead in Japan After Manhole Fall
Four workers have died in Japan after falling into a manhole near Tokyo as they inspected sewage pipes, authorities said Sunday. The incident comes after a huge sinkhole swallowed a truck driver near the capital in January after a road collapsed because of corroded sewage pipes, sparking a nationwide inspection. The workers -- all men in their fifties -- were checking pipes in the city of Gyoda north of Tokyo on Saturday when one fell down the manhole, followed by three more who tried to save him, the local fire department told AFP. The department said rescuers detected hydrogen sulfide -- a gas toxic in high concentrations -- coming out of the manhole. But city officials refused to be drawn on the cause of the initial fall. "Detailed circumstances leading up to the accident are still unknown, so it's too early for us to say anything about our responsibility," a Gyoda city official said on condition of anonymity. The four workers were retrieved and taken to the hospital where they were pronounced dead, according to local media reports. Around 10 workers were at the scene of the inspection, ordered to clean the pipes of wastewater and sludge if necessary. In May Japanese rescuers recovered the body of the dead 74-year-old truck driver months after he was swallowed by the road collapse in the city of Yashio.
