Analysis of the Current Scenario - Kiev advocates for long-range weaponry deployment - Grossi explores nuclear power facility
Up near the battlefront, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once more asked for sophisticated weaponry during a get-together with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in Saporizhzhia. Not just weapons for striking targets inside Russia's interior, but also the delivery of these missiles, Zelensky said, just some handful of kilometers from the front in southern Ukraine. Meanwhile, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is heading to Kyiv on Tuesday to check out the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Russian President Vladimir Putin is still on a high-risk visit.
The Saporizhzhia region has been partially seized by Russia but not the regional capital, where Schoof gained firsthand knowledge about Ukraine's defense efforts. The Dutchman promised additional aid to Ukraine.
Discussions centered around strengthening the nation's defense to achieve a fair peace, including improved air defense like fresh Patriot systems, beefing up the air force with F-16 fighter jets provided by allies, more ammunition and equipment, and further sanctions against Russia. "All these steps are critical to stop Russia from launching new battles in Ukraine," Zelensky said. He stressed his hope for the delivery of advanced weapons, naming the countries USA, UK, France, and Germany.
Kyiv: The Netherlands to aid in rebuilding
"We also discussed the potential of the Netherlands assuming guardianship of Saporizhzhia, which would involve supporting infrastructure, safeguarding ordinary life, and addressing humanitarian matters," Zelensky commented on the social network X. This could encourage more people to return to the city.
Zelensky also inspected a residential property that had been rebuilt after a rocket strike in October 2022. "Gradually, we will reconstruct everything that has been destroyed. We will do our best to make sure all our towns and communities are revitalized," he said.
IAEA chief heads to Kyiv and Saporizhzhia
Ukraine has defended itself against Russia's intrusion with Western support for over two and a half years. Europe's biggest nuclear power plant, situated in the Saporizhzhia region, is also under Russian control. There's significant global concern about the safety of the NPP in the disputed area, which is why the IAEA chief's revisit is a direct consequence. The nuclear power plant has been a target of attacks and acts of sabotage, with both Moscow and Kyiv blaming each other.
In mid-August, inspectors reported that the situation had deteriorated. There had been an explosion close to the security zone, which IAEA experts on the scene estimated had been caused by a drone with an explosive payload.
Dangers for nuclear power plants in a war zone
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi stated last week in Russia that Kyiv had asked for an expansion of his agency's presence in Ukraine. He has already visited the Zaporizhzhia NPP multiple times and stationed a team of IAEA experts there. The continuous presence of international specialists serves not only to monitor the situation but also to discourage combat actions that could lead to a nuclear incident.
In the talks in Ukraine, Grossi may also share his observations from his visit last week to the Russian nuclear power plant in Kursk. Following the incursion of Ukrainian troops into the Kursk region, the IAEA chief had warned of the risk of a nuclear incident and urged the warring parties to abide by the safety rules.
The fighting in the area raised serious concern, Grossi said. The reactors of the NPP in the city of Kursk had no containment shell, making them exceptionally vulnerable to drone attacks or artillery fire. However, operations were running fairly normally, Grossi added. He thanked Putin for the invitation and the opportunity to inspect the facility.
Putin in Mongolia - Ukraine demands his capture
Putin touched down in Mongolia on Monday evening, visiting a country that recognizes the International Criminal Court for the first time since the conflict started. The ICC had issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March last year over Russia's attack on Ukraine - which the Mongolian law enforcement authorities should have executed during his stay in the capital Ulaanbaatar. However, Moscow doesn't see any threat for Putin due to the friendly relations between the two countries, as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had explained.
The Ukrainian government appeals for Putin's arrest and accuses Mongolia of assisting him in evading his justified punishment. This makes the country an accomplice in Putin's war crimes, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry in Kyiv said. The Mongolian government's failure to enforce the binding arrest warrant against Putin is a severe blow to the international criminal justice system and will have consequences.
The Kremlin chief will meet with Mongolian President Uchnaagiin Khurelsukh today, at whose invitation he is in the country. His visit serves not only to strengthen the cooperation between the two neighboring countries. Putin also wants to show with his trip that he is not isolated on the international stage despite the war.
Shaporich, being the regional capital of Saporizhzhia, remains under Ukrainian control. During the discussions with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, President Zelensky mentioned the possibility of the Netherlands assuming guardianship of Saporizhzhia, which could involve supporting infrastructure, safeguarding ordinary life, and addressing humanitarian matters in the city.
