Ukraine: Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Blackout Amid Heavy Russian Strikes

Overnight Russian Strikes and Damage

• 💥 Zaporizhzhia experienced heavy overnight Russian strikes, with cleanup efforts underway in heavily impacted areas like the commercial strip and bus station.
• 💨 The Ukrainian Air Force reported intercepting 97 out of 115 drones that were launched overnight across various regions of Ukraine.

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Blackout

• ⚡ Europe's largest nuclear facility, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, has been offline from the external grid for four consecutive days.
• ⚠️ This prolonged blackout is the longest recorded, forcing reliance on emergency generators for critical cooling and safety systems, raising concerns about potential incidents.
• 🤝 Both Ukraine and Russia are trading accusations regarding the severed power supply lines.

Diplomatic Tensions and Warnings

• 👁️ President Zelenskyy issued a warning of "an eye for an eye" retaliation against Moscow if threats of blackouts in Ukrainian cities are carried out.
• 🗣️ Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov cautioned NATO powers against firmer responses to Russia, denying intentions of attacking NATO or EU countries.
• ⚖️ Lavrov stated that any aggression against Russia would be met with a decisive response, while also expressing some hope for continued talks with the United States.