In three days Ukraine will celebrate its national holiday. Kyiv warns that Russia could be planning "something particularly malicious". In Kharkiv, people should therefore stay in their apartments all day. Meanwhile, Europe remains concerned about the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
The Ukrainian government expects increased Russian attacks ahead of the August 24 celebrations of Ukraine's Independence Day. "We must all be aware that this week Russia could try to do something particularly ugly, something particularly evil," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his evening video address. Ukrainians should not allow Moscow to spread despondency and fear around the 31st anniversary of independence from Soviet rule. August 24 also marks the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine six months ago.
Russia could use Independence Day for particular brutality, the head of state warned. "That's how our enemy is. Every other week of these six months, Russia has been doing something this disgusting and cruel all the time," said Zelenskyy. Among other things, he referred to the "Russian terror" in the Kharkiv region and Donbass, where rocket and artillery attacks are carried out every day.
In Kharkiv, the country's second largest city, a curfew is to apply all day on August 24. "Stay at home and heed the warnings," wrote the region's governor. The city in the north-east of the country normally only has a night-time curfew. Kharkiv is regularly shelled by Russia.
Zelenskyj called on his compatriots to unite in view of the almost half-year fight against the Russian invasion. "We have to fight for Ukraine's victory, there is still a lot to do, we have to stand up and endure a lot, unfortunately also a lot of pain." The head of state also said that he expects partners to visit Kyiv next week. "The war changed everything for Ukraine, for Europe and for the world." Russia's goal is to humiliate the country and spread fear and conflict. That's why nobody should bow to the pressure and show weakness, he emphasizes. "That's why we stick together, help each other, rebuild what was destroyed and fight for our people."
Meanwhile, Russia again accused Ukrainian forces of shelling the Russian-held Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (NPP) with artillery. However, no critical objects were hit, according to a statement from the Russian military administration in the city of Enerhodar, where Europe's largest nuclear power plant is located.
The NATO ammunition was fired from the opposite bank of the Dnipro River and hit the site of the nuclear power plant - in the immediate vicinity of an administration building, it said. Four bullets were registered. The information cannot be independently verified. Russia and Ukraine repeatedly accuse each other of shelling the nuclear power plant and planning provocations.
For its part, Ukraine accused Russian forces of shelling a residential area near the country's second largest nuclear power plant. The governor of the Mykolaiv region, Vitaly Kim, said on Saturday that four children were injured in the shelling of a residential area in the southern Ukrainian city of Voznesensk. Overall, the number of injured rose to fourteen, according to the Ukrainian military.
Voznesensk is about 20 kilometers away from the nuclear power plant in Pivdennoukrainsk. The Russian attack in the 30-kilometer zone around the power plant is "another cynical act of nuclear terrorism," said the Ukrainian power plant operator Energoatom on Telegram. It cannot be ruled out that the projectiles were fired in the direction of the power plant. The Russian military had already tried to capture the nuclear power plant in early March, the operator added.
