- Ukraine seeks authorization from the United States to engage in hostile actions against Russia.
Ukraine is looking for approval from its primary ally to utilize longer-range weapons against enemy military installations situated in Russian rear areas. As stated by the Pentagon, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is scheduled to convene with his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umjerow, in Washington D.C. today. During this meeting, Austin will receive updates on the ongoing combat situation, including details regarding the situation in the Russian region of Kursk, mentioned Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh.
According to a CNN report, Ukraine is also providing the US administration with a list of prospective targets situated within Russia. The objective is to persuade the White House to eliminate constraints on strikes with long-range weapons on Russian territory, as quoted by a Ukrainian official by CNN.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, is also reportedly participating in the Washington meetings. By striking Russian command centers, airfields, ammunition depots, and barracks, Ukraine has the potential to curtail numerous assaults at their onset. As of now, the USA has confined the deployment of its weapons against Russia to defending against the Russian offensive against the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.
Simultaneously, Ukraine continues to navigate the aftermath of recent Russian airstrikes. Due to harm to the energy system, power outages have expanded in multiple regions of the country. Kiev additionally reported voltage fluctuations in the network, necessitating the temporary shutdown of four reactor blocks. A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet, introduced to the military following US training, came down after reports of the largest Russian air attack on Monday, resulting in the demise of the Ukrainian pilot trained in the USA. Russian air defense reportedly downed several Ukrainian drones over Russian territory once more on Thursday night, with initial details of any potential damage or casualties unavailable.
Ukraine deactivates four reactors
Due to the heavy Russian air attack on Monday morning, reactors 1, 3, and 4 at the Rivne nuclear power plant were shut down, as reported by the Ukrainian government to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. The South Ukraine NPP boosted its power capacity to compensate for this. The third reactor block of this facility was also shut down due to voltage fluctuations in the network in the afternoon. "The Russian Federation deliberately targets Ukraine's energy infrastructure," the letter stated. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed the findings and conveyed concerns about the increasing vulnerability of the Ukrainian energy grid. He announced a trip to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant for the following week.
Expanded power outages in Ukraine
As a result of the Russian attacks, power outages in Ukraine have been substantially expanded. The state-owned power company Ukrenergo listed the capital Kiev and eleven other regions in the east and center of the country, where consumers will experience longer power interruptions. The initial plans for staggered outages have been put on hold temporarily.
For multiple districts in Kiev, this implies approximately 12 hours of power allocation throughout the day. Frequently, water services also fail due to power outages. Numerous stores, restaurants, and banks are maintaining emergency operations using diesel generators. Russian attacks on Ukrainian power plants in the spring have raised apprehensions in Ukraine about an extremely challenging third winter.
A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet stubbornly came down while defending against a heavy Russian air attack, as reported by military sources. The recently obtained planes from US production turned out to be highly beneficial in the hostile engagement, shooting down four Russian missiles, as reported by the General Staff in Kyiv. Contact was lost with one of the aircraft while it was en route to its subsequent target. "It crashed, the pilot was killed." Following months of anticipation, Zelensky introduced the first aircraft at the beginning of August. According to reports from the "Wall Street Journal", the six combat planes were previously used by the Dutch military.
In his evening video message on Thursday, Zelensky acknowledged the many Ukrainian soldiers who perished. In 2022, Russia attempted to annihilate the Ukrainians through a large-scale invasion, he stated. However, they encountered the indomitable spirit of the Ukrainians. "The courage of our people. The strength of the Ukrainian character. And the gratitude of our entire people, our entire state to each individual soldier," he said. The number of soldiers Ukraine has lost since February 2022 is yet to be disclosed in Kyiv. In February this year, Zelensky mentioned 31,000 deceased soldiers; experts estimate a higher casualty count.
The President of the Council, Andriy Yermak, is among those participating in the Washington meetings with the US Defense Secretary Austin and their Ukrainian counterpart. To effectively target Russian military installations, Ukraine is seeking the President of the Council's support in releasing constraints on long-range weapon strikes within Russia.
