This handout picture taken and released by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on 8 August, 2022, shows firefighters working to put out a fire after a missile was shot down and landed on civilian infrastucture in Uman district, Cherkasy region, amid Russia’s military invasion launched on Ukraine. – The Ukrainian Air Force said they shot down a Russian missille that landed causing damage to civilian infrastucture, in central Ukraine’s Cherkasy region. Photo: – / UKRAINIAN EMERGENCY SERVICE / AFP
War in Ukraine: Latest NEWS
Since 24 February, the war between Russia and Ukraine has never stopped. Here are the latest news updates in the war in Ukraine
This handout picture taken and released by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on 8 August, 2022, shows firefighters working to put out a fire after a missile was shot down and landed on civilian infrastucture in Uman district, Cherkasy region, amid Russia’s military invasion launched on Ukraine. – The Ukrainian Air Force said they shot down a Russian missille that landed causing damage to civilian infrastucture, in central Ukraine’s Cherkasy region. Photo: – / UKRAINIAN EMERGENCY SERVICE / AFP
Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:
‘Suicidal’
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for a halt to shelling at Europe’s largest nuclear power site Zaporizhzhia, saying any attack on a nuclear plant is “suicidal”, without saying either side is responsible.
Moscow and Kyiv have blamed each other for strikes at the plant, which has been under Russian control since the early days of the 24 February invasion. The strikes over the past few days have damaged several structures, forcing the shutdown of a reactor.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has warned of “the very real risk of a nuclear disaster”.
Kyiv on Monday called for the establishment of a demilitarised zone around the station.
ALSO READ: LIVE UPDATES: Russia’s war in Ukraine: Latest developments
Referendum plan
Moscow-backed authorities in the southeastern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia say they are pressing ahead with plans to stage a referendum on joining Russia.
“I signed a decree… to start working on the issue of organising a referendum on the reunification of the Zaporizhzhia region with the Russian Federation,”
Yevgeny Balitsky, head of the Moscow-installed administration in the occupied part of the region, says on social media.
The southern Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia have been largely under Russia’s control since the first weeks of Moscow’s military campaign.
Both are now being forcefully integrated into Russia’s economy.
Russia in 2014 annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine after staging a referendum there.
ALSO READ: Kremlin accuses Kyiv of shelling nuclear plant
Kherson counter-offensive
Ukrainian forces say they have bombed a strategic bridge over the Dnipro river overnight in Kherson, as they seek to claw back the city.
The Antonovskiy bridge is the main land supply link between the city and the south bank of the Dnipro.
It was partly destroyed on 27 July, forcing Russian forces to rethink supply lines and possibly resort to using pontoons to cross the water.
© Agence France-Presse
