War in Ukraine, day 200 | Kyiv claims gains in east, last reactor at Zaporizhia plant shut down

(Kharkiv) Ukraine on Sunday claimed new territorial gains from Russian forces in the east, where Moscow announced it was withdrawing its troops from certain areas to “reinforce” the separatist pro-Russian region of Donetsk further south.

Kyiv has also announced that it has shut down the last reactor in operation at the Zaporijjia nuclear power plant in the south of the country. Occupied by Russian forces, this six-reactor plant, the largest in Europe, is causing concern in Ukraine and beyond because of its location in a combat zone.

At the beginning of the month, the Ukrainian army first announced a counter-offensive in the south, before carrying out during the past week a surprise and flash breakthrough of the Russian lines in the North-East, in the Kharkiv region. .

In total, “since the beginning of September, more than 3,000 square kilometers have returned to Ukrainian control,” General Valeri Zalouzhny, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, told 200^e day of conflict.

“Around Kharkiv, we started moving not only south and east, but also north. We are 50 kilometers from the border,” he added.

The Russian governor of the Russian region of Belgorod, bordering Ukraine, assured that thousands of people had fled the Kharkiv region for Russia.

“It wasn’t the easiest night, it wasn’t the easiest morning. Over the past 24 hours, thousands of people have crossed the border,” Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a video address, posted on his Telegram channel.

A little earlier, the Ukrainian General Staff had announced that “the liberation of portions of territory in the districts of Kupyansk and Izium in the Kharkiv region [était] In progress “.

“Beautiful Flag”

The day before, Kyiv had announced that its forces had entered Kupyansk, which is on supply routes for Russian troops.

According to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian forces advanced in places to a depth of “70 km” and in five days recaptured “more territory than the Russians took”. conquered in all their operations since April”.

In a video message, President Volodymyr Zelensky rejoiced that “the magnificent Ukrainian flag [flotte de nouveau] on Chkalovske”, in the Kharkiv region.

“It will be the same everywhere. We will drive out the occupiers from every town and village in Ukraine,” he said.

“Weapons, weapons, weapons: it has been on our agenda since the spring. I am grateful to the partners who have responded to our call: they share with us Ukraine’s successes on the battlefield,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba wrote on Twitter, calling for continued deliveries. , mostly Western.

At the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, reactor number 6 was disconnected from the electricity grid on Sunday before dawn, and “preparations are underway for its cooling”, indicated the Ukrainian operator Energoatom.

For three days, this reactor remained the only one to produce the electricity necessary for cooling the nuclear fuel and for the security of the site.

According to Energoatom, the decision to shut it down was taken after the restoration, on Saturday evening, of the site’s external electricity supply with one of the transmission lines. However, the situation of the plant still remains precarious.

Russian supplies in danger

“In the event of further damage to the transmission lines connecting the site to the electrical system – the risk of which remains high – the internal needs [du site] will have to be provided by generators running on diesel,” warned Energoatom, renewing its call for the establishment of a demilitarized zone around the plant, the only way in its view to ensure its security.

Militarily, the new advance of troops from Kyiv south of Kharkiv could seriously hamper Russia’s ability to supply its forces in eastern Ukraine and provide them with effective logistical support.

In areas taken over by Kyiv, AFP journalists saw charred Russian trucks and armored vehicles on Saturday, some of which were still stamped with the letter Z, the symbol of the invasion of Ukraine that began on February 24.

Ukrainian soldiers patrolled Balaklya, where the Ukrainian flag flew, hoisted in the presence of the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Oleksandr Syrsky.

“Today we complete the liberation of Balakliïa, the first major town of our offensive, and I am sure it will not be the last. […]. And ahead again, Izioum and many others,” he said on this occasion.

The head of the Russian occupation administration in the Izium region, Vladislav Sokolov, for his part admitted that the situation there was “difficult”.

“For the past two weeks, the city has been targeted by bombardments by Ukrainian forces, in particular with Himar-type ammunition […] which causes serious destruction and causes many deaths and injuries,” he said.

Himars are multiple rocket launchers supplied to Kyiv by Washington.

Russian grouping

The Russian Ministry of Defense then announced that it had “withdrawn” its forces present “in the regions of Balakliïa and Izium”, in order to “reinforce” its device further south, around Donetsk, one of the capitals of the separatists. prorussians.

In Lyman, a city that fell into Russian hands at the end of May, “the situation remains quite difficult, as in other localities in the north of the People’s Republic” of Donetsk, its leader, Denis Pushilin, acknowledged on Saturday.

In the village of Grakové, just taken over by Ukrainian forces, AFP journalists saw destruction testifying to the violence of the fighting, electricity pylons downed and cables spread on the ground.

“It was scary, there were shelling and explosions everywhere,” said Anatoly Vasiliev, 61.

Iryna Stepanenko, 52, took advantage of being able to go out on a bicycle for the first time after hiding in her basement for three months.

“It was terrifying,” she says of living underground amidst the sound of explosions. Relieved by the return of the Ukrainian forces, she nevertheless says she fears for the future.