RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine could cause ‘global nuclear disaster’ – Putin

Ukrainian attacks on Russian nuclear power plants (NPP) could lead to a global disaster, President Vladimir Putin has warned. He suggested that Kiev think about what could happen if Moscow responded in kind.

Speaking at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) on Thursday, Putin was asked to comment on what Moscow claims are regular Ukrainian raids on the Zaporozhye and Kursk NPPs, both located not far from the frontline.

“Those are very dangerous terrorist acts. One could only imagine what would happen if we responded in kind. What would happen to the whole part of Europe over there.”

Ukraine currently operates three of its own nuclear power plants, one in the south and two in the west of the country.

Russian troops captured the Zaporozhye NPP, the largest facility of this kind in Europe, in the early days of the conflict in 2022. After the entire region overwhelmingly voted to join Russia in the autumn of the same year, the facility was made state property.

As the front line lies not far from the plant, Moscow and Kiev have traded accusations about who is behind several attacks on the facility. The security situation at the plant is being monitored by an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission, which has so far refused to assign blame to either side.

Meanwhile, concerns about the security situation at the Kursk NPP arose in early August when Ukraine launched its largest-to-date cross-border incursion into Russia. According to Putin, Kiev has already tried to launch an attack on the plant, which reportedly involved drones. Russia’s deputy envoy to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky has warned that Western reluctance to rein in Kiev could trigger “a nuclear incident with tragic consequences for the whole of Europe.”

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Britain to send 650 air defence missiles to Ukraine in latest support

The British government said on Friday it would provide Ukraine with 650 lightweight multi-role missiles worth 162 million pounds ($213.13 million) to help protect the country from Russian drones and bombing.

Russia last week unleashed its largest air attack on Ukraine since the full-scale warbegan early in 2022. Ukraine has made repeated requests for more air defence support to defend itself from missile and drone attacks.

The new supply of missiles was announced as British defence minister John Healey attended the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, an ad-hoc coalition of some 50 nations, at a U.S. air base in Germany.

The Ministry of Defence said, in keeping with the new government's commitment to speed deliveries of aid to Ukraine, the first batch of missiles announced on Friday were expected to arrive by the end of the year.

"This new commitment will give an important boost to Ukraine's air defences," Healey said in a statement.

The Ministry of Defence said the missiles made by Thales have a range of more than 6 kilometres (3.73 miles) and can be fired from a variety of platforms on land, sea, and air.

Last Monday, Russia fired more than 200 missiles and drones at Ukraine, killing seven people and striking energy facilities nationwide in what Kyiv called the war's "most massive" attack.

($1 = 0.7601 pounds)

RT/Reuters