On the 176th day of the war in Ukraine, China and Russia intensify their collaboration, including military. Beijing announced it would send troops to Russia’s east later this month for a round of joint exercises with Moscow and other countries including India, Belarus and Tajikistan, the first of its kind since 2018. The Beijing Defense Ministry has affirmed that the Chinese presence “is not related to the current international and regional situation” and thanked Putin for “the consistent and firm support on Taiwan”. The Kremlin leader had in fact defined the visit of the speaker of the US House Nancy Pelosi to the island “a well-planned provocation”.
Meanwhile, according to the British intelligence daily report, after the recent explosions at Russian air bases in Crimea, “Russian commanders are increasingly concerned about the deterioration of security” in the unilaterally annexed peninsula in 2014. Kiev’s goal is precisely that of “creating chaos” and destabilizing the Russians in the occupied areas, explained Zelensky’s right-hand man. But eyes continue to be on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, occupied by Russian troops: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has asked for an “urgent” inspection of the plant by the IAEA.
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Updates hour by hour
00.51 – Russian raid on Kharkiv rises to 7, dormitory hit
The toll of the Russian raid on the city of Kharkiv rises to 7 dead and 13 injured. Unian reports it. According to Natalia Popova, adviser to the head of the Kharkiv Regional Council, a dormitory was hit where there were also hearing impaired people who, she stressed, “may not have heard the alarm”.
00.06 – Moscow: Aiea cannot visit Zaporizhzhia if Kiev does not stop raids
The IAEA delegation cannot visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant “until the Ukrainian side stops bombing the plant”. This was stated by the Deputy Director of the Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Igor Vishnevetsky. Ria Novosti reports it. “It is necessary to stop the bombing by the Ukrainian side – he explained – no delegation can get there if bombings are in progress, it is dangerous”, he added.
23.03 – Moscow: Kiev with bombs on Zaporizhzhia violates international treaties
“By bombing the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Kiev’s forces violate the basic principles of international treaties.” This is what Igor Vishnevetsky, Deputy Director of the Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control of the Russian Foreign Ministry says. Tass reports it. “You can’t shoot nuclear plants, you can’t expose nuclear plants to artillery. It is extremely dangerous – he said – the Ukrainian side is well aware of it, but nevertheless it is engaged in this, in nuclear terrorism, and it is of great concern that it receives support “, he added, highlighting that all this” could end in disaster. “.
Ukraine-Russia, what happened on August 17th