The Ukrainian army counter-offensive continued in southern Ukraine, where intense fighting was reported on Tuesday August 30, while the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, received the mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in kyiv, before his imminent arrival at the nuclear power plant in Zaporijjia (Ukraine). The Russian bombardments have also not ceased. In central Kharkiv, at least five people died in Russian strikes, local authorities said on Tuesday. Franceinfo returns to the highlights of Tuesday August 30 on the front of the war in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian counter-offensive continues
Of “powerful explosions” took place on Monday and all night in the region of Kherson, controlled by the Russians since the beginning of the war, and the “almost all” of its territory is in the throes of violent clashes, the Ukrainian presidency said on Tuesday morning.
“Ukrainian Armed Forces launched offensive actions in various directions”destroying “a number of ammunition depots” and “all major bridges” that allow vehicles to cross the Dnieper River, she said. In Bereznehuvate, a town 70 km north of Kherson, AFP witnessed a constant passage of Ukrainian tanks, while numerous artillery fire echoed in the surroundings.
Russia, for its part, assured that it had repelled “offensive attempts” Ukrainians in the Kherson region, as well as in the Mykolaiv region. “Due to the failure of the Ukrainian offensive (…), the enemy suffered heavy losses”1,200 men “in one day”the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
IAEA mission meets Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelensky, who received the mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in kyiv, urged him to “do the best” to avoid a nuclear disaster at the Zaporijjia power station, the largest in Europe. “This is one of the priority security issues for Ukraine and the whole world due to the occupation of our Zaporizhia plant by Russian soldiers and a high risk of an explosion” and a nuclear disaster, launched the Ukrainian president.
The international community must obtain from Russia “an immediate demilitarization of the plant, the departure of all Russian soldiers with all their explosives, all their weapons” and the return of this installation “under Ukrainian control”, with the establishment of a “demilitarized zone” around her, demanded Volodymyr Zelensky. LIAEA team expected in Zaporizhia “later this week”in order to inspect the nuclear power plant.
Debate on restriction of visas issued to Russians by EU countries
The Czech Republic faced strong resistance on Tuesday from some European Union states over measures to limit Russian travel within the EU. The Czechs want to suspend the 2007 agreement, which made it easier for Russian tourists to apply for visas, while other members have called for an outright visa ban.
Other EU members, including Hungary, Luxembourg and Austria, have spoken out against this measure. “We must not have a new iron curtain in Europe”underlined in particular thehe Luxembourg Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jean Asselborn.