UN nuclear watchdog "making progress" at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, chief says
From CNN's Emiko Jozuka in Tokyo
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday. Kyodo News/Getty Images/FILE
The International Atomic Energy Agency is "making progress" inspecting several areas of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said Friday, following claims by Kyiv that the facility had been mined.
"I think we are making progress," Grossi told reporters in Tokyo.
Grossi said IAEA officials had visited sites including cooling pools and hadn't seen "any indication of explosives or mines in these places."
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia may be using the nuclear plant as a weapon. He accused Russian troops of placing “objects resembling explosives” on roofs at the plant.
The United Nations' nuclear watchdog had not yet been given access to the rooftop, Grossi said. He also reminded reporters the plant is in an "active war zone" and that access takes time.
Nuclear plant on front lines: The Zaporizhzhia facility is the largest nuclear plant in Europe and has been under Russian control since March last year. Its position on the front lines of the war means shelling nearby is common and it has frequently been disconnected from Ukraine's power grid, repeatedly raising fears of a nuclear accident.
2 hr 20 min ago
Ukrainian air defenses shot down Russian attack drones overnight, Air Force says
From CNN's Olga Voitovych
Ukraine's air defenses intercepted 12 of 18 Iran-made Shahed attack drones launched by Russia overnight into Thursday, the Ukrainian Air Force said.
The drones came from the southeast and were destroyed as a result of "combat operations, units of anti-aircraft missile forces, fighter aircraft and mobile fire groups of the Air Force," it said in a statement Friday.
The statement did not mention what happened to the six drones that were not destroyed nor any damage they may have caused.
2 hr 31 min ago
Ukraine's big weapons donors not meeting commitments, think tank says
From CNN's Brad Lendon
Deliveries of arms to Ukraine from key suppliers including the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom are falling well short of pledges, even as Ukrainian forces need them during their current offensive, according to a German think tank.
"In general, only slightly more than half of the heavy weapons committed have been delivered," the Kiel Institute for the World Economy said Thursday on its Ukraine Support Tracker.
The report also said pledges of new aid for the Kyiv government decreased during the period covered by the report — February 25 to May 31 — from the previous reporting period.
"After a spike in new pledges before the anniversary of the start of the war, the overall level of new commitments from Ukraine supporters has trended downward again," Christoph Trebesch, the team leader of the Ukraine Support Tracker, said in a statement. "Military pledges gain in importance with the duration of the war and Ukraine's offensive plans. But the gap between promised and delivered military aid is wide."
In a positive note for Ukraine, however, the report said smaller countries including the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland and Slovakia had come through with about 80% of the weapons they've promised.
1 hr 49 min ago
The US is expected to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine. Here's why that's controversial
From CNN's Brad Lendon
The remains of a rocket that carried cluster munitions found in a field in the countryside of Kherson region on April 28. Alice Martins/For The Washington Post/Getty Images
The United States is expected to announce a new military aid package for Ukraine on Friday that will include cluster munitions for the first time, defense officials have told CNN.
CNN first reported last week that US President Joe Biden’s administration was strongly considering approving the transfer of the controversial weapons to Ukraine, whose forces have been struggling to make major gains in a weeks-long counteroffensive.
Here’s what you need to know:
What is a cluster munition? Cluster munitions, also called cluster bombs, are canisters that carry tens to hundreds of smaller bomblets, also known as submunitions. The canisters break open at a prescribed height, depending upon the area of the intended target, and the bomblets inside spread out over that area. They are fused by a timer to explode closer to or on the ground, spreading shrapnel that is designed to kill troops or take out armored vehicles such as tanks.
What type of cluster bomb is the US said to be giving to Ukraine? The US has a stockpile of cluster munitions known as DPICMs, or dual-purpose improved conventional munitions, that it no longer uses after phasing them out in 2016. The bomblets in a DPICM have shaped charges that, when striking a tank or armored vehicle, “create a metallic jet that perforates metallic armor,” according to an article on the US Army’s eArmor website.
Why are cluster munitions more controversial than other bombs? As the bomblets fall over a wide area, they can endanger non-combatants. In addition, somewhere between 10% to 40% of the munitions fail, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The unexploded munitions can then be detonated by civilian activity years or even decades later. The Cluster Munition Coalition, an activist group trying to get the weapons banned everywhere, says potentially deadly cluster submunitions still lie dormant in Laos and Vietnam 50 years after their use. In a statement Friday, Human Rights Watch said both Ukraine and Russia had killed civilians with their use of cluster munitions in the war so far.
Lviv death toll rises to 10 as authorities end search efforts
From CNN's Olga Voitovych
An emergency worker is seen in the residential building damaged by a Russian missile strike in Lviv on Thursday. Mykola Tys/SOPA/LightRocket/Getty Images
The death toll has risen to 10 following a Russian missile strike in Lviv as officials in the western Ukrainian city said search and rescue efforts have concluded Friday.
"This will complete the rescue and search operation," Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi said on Telegram.
Ukrainian authorities said earlier that at least 42 people were wounded in the strike.
All bomb shelters in Lviv will be open "all the time" following the attack, Sadovyi told CNN Thursday.
When asked why 10 of the shelters in the city were closed during the attack, Sadovyi said "we must completely change the situation about shelters."
"We have in my city 6,000 shelters. It is private shelters, local government shelters, different owners. After the missiles attacked, we made a new decision — all shelters must be open all the time," he said.
He added that Lviv used to be a safe city but now "it's a very tough situation."
The time for Russian missiles to reach Lviv if they are launched from Crimea is about 30 minutes, Sadovyi said. If they are launched from Belarus, the time to reach Lviv is 17 minutes.
"But if Russia uses Kinzhal [missiles], the time is only 3 minutes," he said.
Russia claimed to have targeted only military targets, but Sadovyi said the Russian missiles hit civilian infrastructure, including buildings, schools and office spaces.
3 hr 24 min ago
Death toll rises to 9 in Russian missile strike on Lviv
From CNN's Olga Voitovych
Rescuers work at the site of a Russian missile strike in Lviv on Thursday. Roman Baluk/Reuters
Nine people are now confirmed dead and at least 42 others injured following a Russian missile attack on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv Thursday, Ukrainian authorities said in an update Friday.
In a Telegram post, Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs said search and rescue operations are ongoing.
Ukrainian officials said earlier that the missile attack destroyed more than 30 houses, more than 250 apartments, at least 10 dormitories, two university buildings, an orphanage and a school. It also damaged a power substation.
The attack violated the World Heritage Convention by hitting a historic building in a protected area, UNESCO said.
3 hr 53 min ago
Analysis: Prigozhin's fate remains unclear and it signals more trouble in Russia
Analysis from CNN's Jill Dougherty
The bizarre tale of Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s former pal-turned-mutineer, just got a whole lot weirder.
The foul-mouthed former head of the Wagner private military company — who ran a business empire that included a troll farm, a multi-million dollar catering company, and a media group — had the temerity to launch a mutiny on June 23 against Putin’s top military brass.
The rebellion was quelled by a “deal” supposedly brokered by another Putin friend (some call him “vassal”), Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko. It required Prigozhin to leave Russia and move to Belarus. His men had three choices: follow Prigozhin to Belarus, join the regular Russian military, or stop fighting and go home.
After the mutiny ended, Lukashenko claimed Prigozhin had, indeed, arrived in Belarus. But for weeks, no one could confirm that. Then Thursday, Lukashenko reversed himself, telling CNN that Prigozhin was in St. Petersburg and might be traveling “to Moscow or elsewhere.”
In any case, he said, Prigozhin wasn’t where he was supposed to be. Neither were the Wagner fighters at the camps Lukashenko’s government apparently had set aside for them in Belarus, raising questions about the fate of the Wagner boss.
As if on cue, Russian state-controlled TV began broadcasting video of security forces raiding Prigozhin’s St. Petersburg office and residence. His “mansion” or “palace” had a pool, a private operating room, even a “dedicated prayer room,” as the Russian propaganda website RT described it, along with a few sledgehammers — a tool Wagner is accused of using to murder defectors. The security agents reportedly found 10 million rubles (about $110,000) in cash, along with gold, guns, and wigs — presumably for Prigozhin to disguise himself.
And yet, a few hours later, there were reports that some of his money and possessions were returned to him. It adds another layer to the mystery as to why Putin has, so far, let Prigozhin remain free even as he fails to abide by the Lukashenko deal.
It's early morning in Istanbul, where Zelensky is due to discuss the Black Sea grain deal. Here's the latest
From CNN staff
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet his Turkish counterpart in Istanbul on Friday, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency.
Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will discuss a number of issues, including the war and the Black Sea grain deal, Anadolu said.
Russia's foreign ministry on Tuesday said it sees no basis for renewing the UN-brokered agreement, which is set to expire on July 17, threatening vital food supplies for millions of vulnerable people across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Here's what else you need to know:
Where is Prigozhin? Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko was noncommittal in an answer to CNN during a press conference in Minsk, saying the Wagner boss "is in St Petersburg," or perhaps "would travel to Moscow." When asked if the Kremlin is aware of Prigozhin's whereabouts, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he was "not commenting on that right now.” Prigozhin has not been seen in public since his short-lived uprising ended on June 24.
Police raid: Just as we were learning that Prigozhin was in Russia, not Belarus, Russian state media released images from a reported police raid on Prigozhin’s office and residence in St. Petersburg. The footage — described by presenters as “scandalous” — shows what is described as a stash of gold, money and wigs, along with weapons and several passports apparently belonging to the Wagner chief under different aliases.
Lviv attack: The death toll from a Russian missile strike in the western city rose to six on Thursday, Ukrainian officials said. More than 30 houses, over 250 apartments, at least 10 dormitories, two university buildings, an orphanage, a school and a power substation were damaged. The attack violated the World Heritage Convention by hitting a historic building in a protected area, UNESCO said.
On the front lines: Ukraine's offensive "is not fast" but is "moving forward," Zelensky said Thursday. Ukraine's top general told his US counterpart that Kyiv's counteroffensive is going "according to the plan." And Ukrainian forces on the southeastern front continue to advance and take back territory, according to a senior commander.
NATO look ahead: Ukraine hopes for "a clear signal" in regard to an invitation to join the defense alliance during the NATO summit in Lithuania next week, Zelensky said after meeting with leaders of NATO members Czech Republic and Bulgaria on Thursday. Meanwhile, the alliance's chief says admission is "within reach" for Sweden, which was driven to join NATO by Russia's war in Ukraine, but has been stalled in the process by objections from Turkey.
Cluster munitions: The US is expected to announce a new military aid package for Ukraine Friday that will include cluster munitions for the first time, defense officials told CNN. Changing battlefield conditions inside Ukraine over the past two weeks prompted US officials to give the weapons renewed consideration, they said.
5 hr 25 min ago
Ukraine hopes for a "positive outcome" in Zaporizhzhia situation, Zelensky says
From CNN's Svitlana Vlasova and Radina Gigova
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in September, 2022. Stringer/AFP/Getty Images/FILE
Ukraine hopes for a "positive outcome" in the "very dangerous" situation involving the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday.
"We know that the IAEA has contacts with the Russian Federation. Well, they have to work," he said during a news conference in Prague with the Czech President Petr Pavel. "We would be grateful if there is a positive outcome in this dangerous, very dangerous story."
On Tuesday, Zelensky warned that Russia may be using the nuclear plant as a weapon. He accused Russian troops of placing “objects resembling explosives” on roofs at the plant.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog — said Wednesday there were no visible indications of mines or explosives at the plant, but requested additional access to the site for confirmation.
Remember: The facility is the largest nuclear plant in Europe and has been under Russian control since March last year. Its position on the front lines of the war means shelling nearby is common and it has frequently been disconnected from Ukraine's power grid — repeatedly raising fears of a nuclear accident.
Belarus' President told CNN that Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is in St. Petersburg — not Belarus as agreed. Meanwhile, a police raid on Prigozhin’s office and residence in the Russian city was reported by Russian state media.
In Ukraine, at least 10 people were killed and dozens injured in a Russian strike on a residential building in the western city of Lviv, officials said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to discuss the Black Sea grain deal with his Turkish counterpart in Istanbul Friday. The UN-brokered agreement is set to expire July 17, threatening vital food supplies for millions.
The US is expected to send cluster munitions to Kyiv for the first time as part of a new aid package.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday. Kyodo News/Getty Images/FILE
The International Atomic Energy Agency is "making progress" inspecting several areas of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said Friday, following claims by Kyiv that the facility had been mined.
"I think we are making progress," Grossi told reporters in Tokyo.
Grossi said IAEA officials had visited sites including cooling pools and hadn't seen "any indication of explosives or mines in these places."
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia may be using the nuclear plant as a weapon. He accused Russian troops of placing “objects resembling explosives” on roofs at the plant.
The United Nations' nuclear watchdog had not yet been given access to the rooftop, Grossi said. He also reminded reporters the plant is in an "active war zone" and that access takes time.
Nuclear plant on front lines: The Zaporizhzhia facility is the largest nuclear plant in Europe and has been under Russian control since March last year. Its position on the front lines of the war means shelling nearby is common and it has frequently been disconnected from Ukraine's power grid, repeatedly raising fears of a nuclear accident.
Ukraine's air defenses intercepted 12 of 18 Iran-made Shahed attack drones launched by Russia overnight into Thursday, the Ukrainian Air Force said.
The drones came from the southeast and were destroyed as a result of "combat operations, units of anti-aircraft missile forces, fighter aircraft and mobile fire groups of the Air Force," it said in a statement Friday.
The statement did not mention what happened to the six drones that were not destroyed nor any damage they may have caused.
Deliveries of arms to Ukraine from key suppliers including the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom are falling well short of pledges, even as Ukrainian forces need them during their current offensive, according to a German think tank.
"In general, only slightly more than half of the heavy weapons committed have been delivered," the Kiel Institute for the World Economy said Thursday on its Ukraine Support Tracker.
The report also said pledges of new aid for the Kyiv government decreased during the period covered by the report — February 25 to May 31 — from the previous reporting period.
"After a spike in new pledges before the anniversary of the start of the war, the overall level of new commitments from Ukraine supporters has trended downward again," Christoph Trebesch, the team leader of the Ukraine Support Tracker, said in a statement. "Military pledges gain in importance with the duration of the war and Ukraine's offensive plans. But the gap between promised and delivered military aid is wide."
In a positive note for Ukraine, however, the report said smaller countries including the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland and Slovakia had come through with about 80% of the weapons they've promised.
The remains of a rocket that carried cluster munitions found in a field in the countryside of Kherson region on April 28. Alice Martins/For The Washington Post/Getty Images
The United States is expected to announce a new military aid package for Ukraine on Friday that will include cluster munitions for the first time, defense officials have told CNN.
CNN first reported last week that US President Joe Biden’s administration was strongly considering approving the transfer of the controversial weapons to Ukraine, whose forces have been struggling to make major gains in a weeks-long counteroffensive.
Here’s what you need to know:
What is a cluster munition? Cluster munitions, also called cluster bombs, are canisters that carry tens to hundreds of smaller bomblets, also known as submunitions. The canisters break open at a prescribed height, depending upon the area of the intended target, and the bomblets inside spread out over that area. They are fused by a timer to explode closer to or on the ground, spreading shrapnel that is designed to kill troops or take out armored vehicles such as tanks.
What type of cluster bomb is the US said to be giving to Ukraine? The US has a stockpile of cluster munitions known as DPICMs, or dual-purpose improved conventional munitions, that it no longer uses after phasing them out in 2016. The bomblets in a DPICM have shaped charges that, when striking a tank or armored vehicle, “create a metallic jet that perforates metallic armor,” according to an article on the US Army’s eArmor website.
Why are cluster munitions more controversial than other bombs? As the bomblets fall over a wide area, they can endanger non-combatants. In addition, somewhere between 10% to 40% of the munitions fail, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The unexploded munitions can then be detonated by civilian activity years or even decades later. The Cluster Munition Coalition, an activist group trying to get the weapons banned everywhere, says potentially deadly cluster submunitions still lie dormant in Laos and Vietnam 50 years after their use. In a statement Friday, Human Rights Watch said both Ukraine and Russia had killed civilians with their use of cluster munitions in the war so far.
An emergency worker is seen in the residential building damaged by a Russian missile strike in Lviv on Thursday. Mykola Tys/SOPA/LightRocket/Getty Images
The death toll has risen to 10 following a Russian missile strike in Lviv as officials in the western Ukrainian city said search and rescue efforts have concluded Friday.
"This will complete the rescue and search operation," Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi said on Telegram.
Ukrainian authorities said earlier that at least 42 people were wounded in the strike.
All bomb shelters in Lviv will be open "all the time" following the attack, Sadovyi told CNN Thursday.
When asked why 10 of the shelters in the city were closed during the attack, Sadovyi said "we must completely change the situation about shelters."
"We have in my city 6,000 shelters. It is private shelters, local government shelters, different owners. After the missiles attacked, we made a new decision — all shelters must be open all the time," he said.
He added that Lviv used to be a safe city but now "it's a very tough situation."
The time for Russian missiles to reach Lviv if they are launched from Crimea is about 30 minutes, Sadovyi said. If they are launched from Belarus, the time to reach Lviv is 17 minutes.
"But if Russia uses Kinzhal [missiles], the time is only 3 minutes," he said.
Russia claimed to have targeted only military targets, but Sadovyi said the Russian missiles hit civilian infrastructure, including buildings, schools and office spaces.
Rescuers work at the site of a Russian missile strike in Lviv on Thursday. Roman Baluk/Reuters
Nine people are now confirmed dead and at least 42 others injured following a Russian missile attack on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv Thursday, Ukrainian authorities said in an update Friday.
In a Telegram post, Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs said search and rescue operations are ongoing.
Ukrainian officials said earlier that the missile attack destroyed more than 30 houses, more than 250 apartments, at least 10 dormitories, two university buildings, an orphanage and a school. It also damaged a power substation.
The attack violated the World Heritage Convention by hitting a historic building in a protected area, UNESCO said.
The bizarre tale of Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s former pal-turned-mutineer, just got a whole lot weirder.
The foul-mouthed former head of the Wagner private military company — who ran a business empire that included a troll farm, a multi-million dollar catering company, and a media group — had the temerity to launch a mutiny on June 23 against Putin’s top military brass.
The rebellion was quelled by a “deal” supposedly brokered by another Putin friend (some call him “vassal”), Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko. It required Prigozhin to leave Russia and move to Belarus. His men had three choices: follow Prigozhin to Belarus, join the regular Russian military, or stop fighting and go home.
After the mutiny ended, Lukashenko claimed Prigozhin had, indeed, arrived in Belarus. But for weeks, no one could confirm that. Then Thursday, Lukashenko reversed himself, telling CNN that Prigozhin was in St. Petersburg and might be traveling “to Moscow or elsewhere.”
In any case, he said, Prigozhin wasn’t where he was supposed to be. Neither were the Wagner fighters at the camps Lukashenko’s government apparently had set aside for them in Belarus, raising questions about the fate of the Wagner boss.
As if on cue, Russian state-controlled TV began broadcasting video of security forces raiding Prigozhin’s St. Petersburg office and residence. His “mansion” or “palace” had a pool, a private operating room, even a “dedicated prayer room,” as the Russian propaganda website RT described it, along with a few sledgehammers — a tool Wagner is accused of using to murder defectors. The security agents reportedly found 10 million rubles (about $110,000) in cash, along with gold, guns, and wigs — presumably for Prigozhin to disguise himself.
And yet, a few hours later, there were reports that some of his money and possessions were returned to him. It adds another layer to the mystery as to why Putin has, so far, let Prigozhin remain free even as he fails to abide by the Lukashenko deal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet his Turkish counterpart in Istanbul on Friday, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency.
Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will discuss a number of issues, including the war and the Black Sea grain deal, Anadolu said.
Russia's foreign ministry on Tuesday said it sees no basis for renewing the UN-brokered agreement, which is set to expire on July 17, threatening vital food supplies for millions of vulnerable people across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Here's what else you need to know:
Where is Prigozhin? Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko was noncommittal in an answer to CNN during a press conference in Minsk, saying the Wagner boss "is in St Petersburg," or perhaps "would travel to Moscow." When asked if the Kremlin is aware of Prigozhin's whereabouts, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he was "not commenting on that right now.” Prigozhin has not been seen in public since his short-lived uprising ended on June 24.
Police raid: Just as we were learning that Prigozhin was in Russia, not Belarus, Russian state media released images from a reported police raid on Prigozhin’s office and residence in St. Petersburg. The footage — described by presenters as “scandalous” — shows what is described as a stash of gold, money and wigs, along with weapons and several passports apparently belonging to the Wagner chief under different aliases.
Lviv attack: The death toll from a Russian missile strike in the western city rose to six on Thursday, Ukrainian officials said. More than 30 houses, over 250 apartments, at least 10 dormitories, two university buildings, an orphanage, a school and a power substation were damaged. The attack violated the World Heritage Convention by hitting a historic building in a protected area, UNESCO said.
On the front lines: Ukraine's offensive "is not fast" but is "moving forward," Zelensky said Thursday. Ukraine's top general told his US counterpart that Kyiv's counteroffensive is going "according to the plan." And Ukrainian forces on the southeastern front continue to advance and take back territory, according to a senior commander.
NATO look ahead: Ukraine hopes for "a clear signal" in regard to an invitation to join the defense alliance during the NATO summit in Lithuania next week, Zelensky said after meeting with leaders of NATO members Czech Republic and Bulgaria on Thursday. Meanwhile, the alliance's chief says admission is "within reach" for Sweden, which was driven to join NATO by Russia's war in Ukraine, but has been stalled in the process by objections from Turkey.
Cluster munitions: The US is expected to announce a new military aid package for Ukraine Friday that will include cluster munitions for the first time, defense officials told CNN. Changing battlefield conditions inside Ukraine over the past two weeks prompted US officials to give the weapons renewed consideration, they said.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in September, 2022. Stringer/AFP/Getty Images/FILE
Ukraine hopes for a "positive outcome" in the "very dangerous" situation involving the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday.
"We know that the IAEA has contacts with the Russian Federation. Well, they have to work," he said during a news conference in Prague with the Czech President Petr Pavel. "We would be grateful if there is a positive outcome in this dangerous, very dangerous story."
On Tuesday, Zelensky warned that Russia may be using the nuclear plant as a weapon. He accused Russian troops of placing “objects resembling explosives” on roofs at the plant.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog — said Wednesday there were no visible indications of mines or explosives at the plant, but requested additional access to the site for confirmation.
Remember: The facility is the largest nuclear plant in Europe and has been under Russian control since March last year. Its position on the front lines of the war means shelling nearby is common and it has frequently been disconnected from Ukraine's power grid — repeatedly raising fears of a nuclear accident.
