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LAST UPDATE | 10 Aug 2022
UKRAINE HAS ACCUSED Russia of carrying out rocket strikes that killed 14 civilians in areas near a nuclear power plant, as the G7 warned that Russian control of the facility “endangers the region”.
Overnight strikes in the Dnipropetrovsk region in central Ukraine killed 13 people and injured 11, with five reported to be in a serious condition, regional governor Valentin Reznichenko wrote on Telegram.
“It was a terrible night,” he said, urging residents to shelter when they hear air raid sirens.
“I am asking and begging you… Don’t let the Russians kill you,” he wrote.
A woman died after Russian missiles slammed into a village in the Zaporizhzhia region this morning, local governor Oleksandr Starukh wrote on Telegram.
Most of the casualties were in the town of Marganets, just across the Dnipro River from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s biggest.
Regional council head Mykola Lukashuk said the strikes had hit a local power line, leaving thousands of people without electricity.
G7 call over nuclear plant
Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of recent shelling around the plant, which has six reactors.
Ukraine says Russia has stationed hundreds of troops and stored ammunition at the facility since taking it over on 4 March, shortly after starting its invasion.
The tensions have revived memories of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Soviet Ukraine, which killed hundreds of people and spread radioactive contamination over much of Europe.
The Group of Seven industrialised nations condemned Russia’s occupation and called on Moscow to immediately hand back full control of the plant.
Ukrainian staff operating the plant must be able to work “without threats or pressure” and Russia’s control of the plant “endangers the region”, the G7 foreign ministers said in a statement.
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting tomorrow to address the crisis at the nuclear complex.
A source in the Security Council presidency, currently held by China, told AFP on Wednesday that the meeting would occur on 11 August at 3pm (8pm Irish time).
A second diplomatic source at United Nations headquarters in New York said the council’s 15 member nations would gather at the request of Russia, one of the five permanent members of the Security Council – along with Britain, China, France and the United States – which hold veto power over UN resolutions.
Crimea blasts
The strikes on Zaporizhzhia came a day after major blasts at the Saki airfield, a key military base on the Russian-annexed Crimea peninsula.
Moscow insisted that the explosions were caused by detonating ammunition rather than Ukrainian fire.
Ukraine’s air force said nine Russian jets were destroyed in the explosions, but Russia denied any aircraft were damaged in the blasts — or that any attack took place.
Ukrainian officials have stopped short of publicly claiming responsibility for the explosions, while poking fun at Russia’s explanation that munitions at the Saki air base caught fire and blew up and underscoring the importance of the peninsula that Moscow annexed eight years ago.
In his nightly video address several hours after the blasts, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to retake the peninsula, saying “this Russian war against Ukraine and against all of free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea — its liberation”.
On Wednesday, Russian authorities sought to downplay the explosions, saying all hotels and beaches were unaffected on the peninsula, which is a popular tourist destination for many Russians.
The fireballs, which killed one person and wounded 13, sent tourists fleeing in panic as plumes of smoke towered over the nearby coastline.
They smashed windows and caused other damage in some apartment buildings.
Russian jets have used Saki to strike areas in Ukraine’s south on short notice, and Ukrainian social networks were abuzz with speculation that Ukrainian-fired long-range missiles hit the base.
The illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is continuing.
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) August 10, 2022
The map below is the latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 10 August 2022.
Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/u17J1vibEn
🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/3BoFTsKJnL
Officials in Moscow have long warned Ukraine that any attack on Crimea would trigger massive retaliation, including strikes on “decision-making centres” in Kyiv.
A Ukrainian presidential adviser, Oleksiy Arestovych, who is more outspoken than other officials, cryptically said yesterday that the blasts were caused either by a Ukrainian-made long-range weapon or were the work of guerrillas operating in Crimea.
The base on the Black Sea peninsula that dangles off southern Ukraine is at least 125 miles away from the closest Ukrainian position — out of the range of the missiles supplied by the US for use in the Himars systems.
The Ukrainian military has successfully used those missiles, with a range of 50 miles, to target ammunition and fuel depots, strategic bridges and other key targets in Russia-occupied territories.
Himars could also fire longer-range rockets, with a range of up to about 185 miles, that Ukraine has asked for.
But US authorities have refrained from providing them thus far, fearing it could provoke Russia and widen the conflict.
The explosions in Saki raised speculation on social media that Ukraine might have finally got the weapons.
‘There is a lot of shooting’
Fighting also ground on in eastern Ukraine, where Russian troops are gradually advancing.
Strikes on the city of Bakhmut killed at least six people and injured three others, regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said on Telegram, adding that 12 residential buildings were damaged.
The city of Soledar was under constant shelling, AFP reporters saw, as Russian troops attempted to drive out Ukrainian forces and seize a foothold towards Bakhmut.
The echoes of cluster bombs and artillery bounced off apartment buildings with their windows shattered, while roads were cratered and shops boarded up or destroyed.
The city was shrouded with black and white smoke arising from artillery and air strikes.
Some of those who remain now live underground in cellars ill-suited as bomb shelters.
“Most have left. It’s very scary. There is a lot of shooting,” said 62-year-old Svitlana Klymenko.
“I just want to leave to grow old in a normal way, die a normal death, not be killed by a missile.”
EU ban on Russian coal
The war has severely hampered grain supply from Ukraine, leading to an international food crisis as it is one of the world’s biggest producers.
Some ships have been able to leave Ukrainian ports in recent days after a deal with Russia brokered by the United Nations and Turkey.
The first exports of wheat should start next week under the agreement, top UN official Frederick Kenney said on Wednesday.
The first grain shipment to leave on the Sierra Leone-flagged vessel Razoni departed the Ukrainian port of Odessa on 1 August and had been expected to dock in the Lebanese port of Tripoli at the weekend.
But the Ukrainian embassy said a new buyer for the shipment was being sought after the original Lebanese buyer cancelled the order.
Marine traffic sites showed the Razoni docked in Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Mersin, following reports a new buyer had been found for its cargo.
Spain today launched a pilot project to import Ukrainian grain by train to avoid blocked maritime routes, with a freight train leaving Madrid for the Polish town of Chelm late on Tuesday.
Western countries have meanwhile imposed increasingly stringent sanctions on Moscow, raising fears that Russia may cut off gas supplies.
EU countries have started putting into place different measures to save energy, with air conditioning curbs coming into force in Spain today and Vienna dimming street lighting.
A total EU ban on imports of Russian coal was due to come into force overnight.
Additional reporting from © AFP 2022
Sweet suffering Jesus..
They are an embarrassment. . Pathetic individuals. .
Wasters,so close to doing away with them
@ Poole. .sometimes the comment of the week can be so dam obvious..except you forgot the blasphemy law..should have been jasyus. .
First rejected by the Electorate and now rejected by the G.A.A. geez people have a little bit of sympathy for the poor auld pathetic losers
After reading these articles, I wonder, would it be better to just get WW3 started and over with.
and Nobel Peace Prize winning Obama starts it, now that would be ironic and scary at the same time
Millennials would have to get used to eating bugs
To think we could of gotten rid of them all……..
What were we thinking! Michele Mulherrin makes me want to blow the place up
Guy Fawkes the place into dust…
The sense of entitlement from these people is something else. Do they really think they are so important? Thankfully they will get more than €5 from the budget and they might “purchase” a ticket like everybody else.
If they are worried about how the Seanad is currently perceived then I suggest they shut up
BarryK or even move out??
Fine Gael once again embarrassing themselves. The gene pool is so weak.
I agree. Not surprising with their weak leader Enda. What a shower of idiots run this country now. Last lot were crooks and this lot are clowns !
No Geraldine McFadden, you not getting all Ireland ticket for free is not an issue.. What an issue is, is the amount of homeless people sleeping rough in cities around our country. An issue is the lack of affordable childcare in this country. An issue is the amount of young people immigrating due to the lack of job prospects. An issue is low income families slipping into poverty while you have some sense of entitlement to an all Ireland ticket, even though you have a massive wage? Cop yourself on woman. You are suppose to be sorting out the real issues in the country, not your petty idea of what an “issue” is
@Breda Jennings: The people voted to keep this waste of space open.
I wonder will these two Senators be going to either the Dublin or Mayo league games in February,Somehow I don’t think so.
Neither TD’s nor Senators should be getting privileges like these, the sooner the realise they put on their pants one leg at a time, just like the rest of use, the better. Unless I’m mistaken and they do in fact have “dressers” to help them get ready in the morning. Maybe there is a Dresser Expense?! If so will we someday have claims for mental distress from dressers who saw things they can never unsee. Regardless, TD’s, in theory anyway, do far more important work so if anyone is getting tickets it’s that shower. The upper house needs to start acting like the upper house! In short, go and shte.
The emperor has no clothes.
We had our chance. The upper house has had no real impact since the founding of the state. Ultimate departure lounge. A few notable exceptions of course but mainstream full of brown nosing yes men. Shame on us.
“It certainly drew a clear line between Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann in this case”. So as long as they’re the other side of the line?
“I never go to any games but I should be entitled to a ticket for the All-Ireland. To hell with a ticket for the wife and kids of the player who hardly sees his family because he trains 5 days a week between club and county after days work.
You know what, I’ll buy them a ticket for the Ladies All-Ireland. That should shut them up.
Aww the poor little self entitled man, his gravy train isn’t as luscious as a TD/Ministers one so he’s whinging in the Seanad about it. Mulherin made a show of herself on the Drivetime last month now this buffoon is doing the same.
Find a corner to die in you moany f#$%wits!!!! (the tds)
First world problems!
Please Mr. Kenny give us an other chance to get RID of these wasters. After all it would not be the first time we voted on the same issue.
What a waste of space these oversubscribed plebs have in our lives. Gawd give me strength to do no harm……because I am mightily sick of these PARASITES or in common language MAGPIES
Am I allowed say go f**k yourself?
Yes
Like Elsa said lads, let it go!
Dear lord. This is the party running the country. # embarrassingtwits.
Aleppo is disappearing under a cloud of dead children and these gomsheens can only discus themselves and……oh foook it words have left me.
Jesus Christ,no wonder we are where we are.talk about self obsessed,greedy,elitist,arrogant,opinion they have of themselves.
Tough sh!t get a life and do some of the work you’re supposed to do
If her crib is, that TDs get them and she doesn’t maybe the GAA just take the tickets off the TDs too, god she’s some ball bag
We need a change from the same old system that benefits the few. Up the people.
Dear Michelle Mulherin, I like many other working class people, buy a season ticket every year so I have the opportunity to watch my team if they get to a final. But your plight has touched my heart. I shed tears when I first heard your story Michelle. How wholly unjust it was that you couldn’t get a ticket to support your beloved Mayo in their quest for the holy fail. Well fear not Michelle, I will pledge you my ticket for the 2017 final if Mayo get there. I urge everyone in a similar position to give up their hard worked for tickets also. Because Michelle so obviously deserves it more than you do.
*Holy grail! Though fail is also apt ☺
Plenty of roles for mulherin in the Kenyan seanad, it’s almost as feeble but the weather is great!
Nominated senators are different, they’re people who aren’t popular enough to be elected democratically
Whingers with a sense of entitlement. Get lost
Oh for f##k sake
The people told them to f**k of after the last election, are they deaf
It’s no wonder this country is f$$$ed. what a crowd of fools. We are worse for putting up with failed politicians and Enda’s cronies!
Greedy, useless, fat cats. Support your local club and you’ll get a ticket. You don’t represent the people, those of you not given a free seat in the Seanad are there because of an exceptionally elitist election process.
Why are we still feeding these gondolas???
Come on Enda let us vote to abolish them again….I think the clowns who voted against it might not be so foolish this time.
The way they talk and the language used…..such pompous pr..ks
Who the f*ck are these people!? Elected by nobody to represent nobody but themselves until they fail again at the next election. Although you’ve gotta take your hat off to them, trying to get as much out of the gravy train while they’re on it!
A useless club for FAILED politicians
This is an interesting sense of entitlement from people who have not been elected by public plebiscite. It is right and proper that the GAA does not favour senators over the members of the public who attend games for the love of the sport rather than to be seen. In addition, a senator represents a panel, a college or the Taoiseach’s choice – all national rather than regional constituencies. Hence the GAA are justified.
Go buy a season ticket for their county if they want one that badly
If only we’d known during the run-up to the referendum on abolishing the Seanad that this was going to happen then the result might’ve been different…
The GAA are justified in not providing preferential treatment to senators. They are elected an elite rather than the public, which makes them not as special as TDs who face a popular vote. In addition, they represent national rather than rural constitencies.
Will ye give it a rest
How many of them go to matches I sick off people jumping on the band wagon when it comes to finals and haven’t gone to other matches what makes them more important than me or other football
have your say