In the face of the recent interruption of gas supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Europe, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of an energy war and called for more unity in Europe. "Russia is trying to increase the energy pressure on Europe these days - the pumping of gas through the Nord Stream has stopped completely," Zelenskyy said in his daily video message. "Russia wants to destroy the normal life of every European - in all countries of our continent."
Moscow is about weakening and intimidating the states in Europe, said Zelenskyj. In addition to tanks and missiles, Russia also uses energy as a weapon. This winter Russia is preparing the "decisive blow" in the energy sector. Only greater cohesion and coordinated countermeasures by the Europeans would help. In addition, the pressure on Russia must be increased in order to limit the country's oil and gas revenues.
Earlier, Gazprom had not restarted gas supplies through the pipeline after three days of maintenance work on the last operating turbine of Nord Stream 1. The turbine cannot be used because oil is leaking, the company said. The Federal Network Agency expressed doubts about the reasoning. There was uncertainty about a possible repair. Gazprom announced via Telegram that Siemens Energy would take part in the repair work. There was no confirmation of this from Siemens Energy.
The energy supply in the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia is also a source of concern: according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the power connection via the main lines has been cut. The system is only connected to the grid via a spare cable. The electricity connection to the power plant was torn down a week ago. At that time, the lines had been damaged by a previous shelling.
Meanwhile, Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) promised Kyiv new financial aid, including support for internally displaced persons in Ukraine. The fighting at the front continues today with undiminished severity. It is the 193rd day of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
Kyiv reports attack on "enemy command post"
The Ukrainian army has reported an attack on an "enemy command post" in the war against the Russian army. The army in Kyiv did not initially name an exact location on Sunday. The attack hit military equipment and destroyed a mobile radar system. In addition, Russian attacks, for example in the town of Bakhmut in the Donbass and the nearby settlement of Pokrovske, were repelled. The information could not be independently verified.
The Ukrainian army also registered more than 24 airstrikes by the "enemy" within 24 hours. Military and civilian objects were hit, the report said. No details were given. Because Russia lacks high-precision weapons, the Russian army uses "more often obsolete S-300 missile systems". More than 500 of these rockets have already been fired into Ukrainian territory.
Russia: military operation near Zaporizhia nuclear plant
The Russian Defense Ministry accused the Ukrainian army of wanting to recapture the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant despite the presence of international nuclear experts. 250 soldiers and "foreign mercenaries" were involved in the operation. The Russian army claims to have repelled the attack and destroyed several boats. The information could not be independently verified.
The Ukrainian military in turn accused Russia of carrying out attacks in the direction of Zaporizhia on Saturday night. Details were not given in the management report. According to the Russian news agency Interfax, a power line was damaged in the shelling. Therefore, the power supply to the area not occupied by Russia was interrupted.
The duration of the stay of international nuclear experts in the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has not yet been fully clarified. "As for the mission, for the time being it will work until September 5. That is, tomorrow they will still work," Vladimir Rogov, one of the Russian occupiers, told the radio station of the Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, as he reported on Aug wrote on Telegram on Sunday. "And they're leaving on the 6th. That's provisional. You can extend your stay," the representative said, without giving details.
The inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have been in the nuclear power plant since Thursday to inspect it for damage after attacks. AEA boss Rafael Grossi recently spoke of a "permanent mission". "Continuous work" was also mentioned in an IAEA statement on Saturday evening.
Russians and Ukrainians in an artillery battle
After media reports of explosions in the city of Cherson occupied by the Russian military, the Ukrainian general staff announced that they had destroyed the base of a special unit of troops loyal to Moscow. In addition, Ukrainian media transported images that another bridge over the Dnipro near Nowa Kakhovka was said to have been disabled. The information cannot be verified independently. In the region in southern Ukraine, pro-government troops are attempting a counter-offensive to drive the Russians back behind the Dnipro River.
Dead and injured children after explosions
Two children died in rocket attacks. "In Zelenodolsk, the Russians killed a nine-year-old boy," said the military governor of the central Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk, Valentyn Resnichenko, on his Telegram channel. A total of about ten people were injured by the rocket attacks, most of them seriously. Here, too, an independent verification of the information was not possible.
There were also rocket attacks in the Mykolayiv region in southern Ukraine. There, an eight-year-old child is said to have been killed by the impacts, two other children and four adults were injured.
Injured after an accident at a gun show
Meanwhile, an accident at a weapons show in northern Ukraine has sparked outrage. Five people, including four children between the ages of two and 12, were injured when a grenade launcher accidentally fired in the city of Chernihiv. President Zelenskyy called the use of edged weapons at an event involving children "unacceptable" and called for those responsible to be punished.
Russian soldiers badly paid?
According to estimates by British secret services, the lack of morale among Russian troops in Ukraine may also be due to poor pay. In addition to the high number of victims and increasing combat fatigue, the salary is one of the biggest abuses, according to a short report by the British Ministry of Defense on Sunday.
The wages of Russian soldiers usually consist of a basic salary, which is supplemented by various allowances and bonus payments according to a complex system. According to the British, there are likely to be significant problems with the payment of these bonuses in Ukraine. This is presumably due to an inefficient military bureaucracy, the unclear legal status of the "military operation" - as Russia calls its war of aggression in Ukraine - and, to a certain extent, corruption among the commanders.
According to the secret services, there are also problems with the provision of suitable uniforms, weapons and other supplies. This also contributes to the fragile morale in the troops.
Minister Schulze: 200 million euros for Ukraine
Development Minister Schulze promised Ukraine further financial aid. "The majority of our new aid, 200 million euros, is to flow into a Ukrainian government program to support internally displaced persons," the SPD politician told the newspapers of the Funke media group. "The money is intended to help the displaced people in Ukraine continue to provide for themselves with the essentials."
What is important today
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Schmyhal will be received by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in the Chancellery on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin is flying to the Far East of the country. He wants to take part in an eco-forum on the Kamchatka peninsula. In the days that follow, he plans to inspect the "Vostok-2022" military maneuvers in the region, among other things.
