Live blog: Ukraine's Zelenskyy calls for global action against Russia

Sunday, April 7, 2024

1803 GMT — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the world must finally hear the pain inflicted on Kharkiv and other cities by Russian attacks and renewed a call for "political will" to ensure Ukraine secures the air defence systems it needs.

"It is quite obvious that our existing air defence capabilities in Ukraine are not sufficient and it is obvious to our partners," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.

"And the world must finally hear the pain that Russian terrorists are causing to Kharkiv...."

Zelenskyy said there were "defence systems in the world that can help. All we need is the political will to transfer these systems to Ukraine."

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1614 GMT — Russia's nuclear power corp says three hurt in Ukrainian attack on Zaporizhzhia station

Russian's nuclear power corporation, Rosatom, said that three staff members were hurt, one seriously, in an "unprecedented" series of attacks on the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in southeastern Ukraine.

A statement on Rosatom's website said the injuries occurred in a strike near the plant's canteen. There were subsequent drone attacks, it said, on a loading area and the dome of the sixth reactor at the plant, Europe's largest.

1429 GMT — Ukraine to lose war if US Congress withholds aid: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Kiev will lose the war against Russia if the US Congress does not approve military aid to battle Moscow's offensive.

Republicans in Congress have been blocking tens of billions of dollars in military assistance for Kiev for months.

"It is necessary to specifically tell Congress that if Congress does not help Ukraine, Ukraine will lose the war," Zelenskyy said during a video meeting of Kiev-organised fundraising platform United24.

Zelenskyy said it would be "difficult" for Ukraine to "stay" (survive) without the aid.

He said, "if Ukraine loses the war, other states will be attacked."

1352 GMT — Woman killed by Ukrainian drone shrapnel in Russia's Belgorod region: governor

A woman was killed when shrapnel from a downed Ukrainian drone hit a car travelling in Russia's Belgorod region, local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov has said.

In a statement on the Telegram messaging app, Gladkov said that four more people, including two children, had been wounded after air defences downed four Ukrainian drones on the approach to Belgorod city.

Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, has come under regular attack from Kiev's forces since 2022, with 25 people killed in a single missile strike on Belgorod city in December.

1322 GMT — IAEA says drone strike at Zaporizhzhia 'consistent' with what it's seen

The Russian authorities in control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine have informed UN nuclear watchdog officials of a drone strike there, the agency has said.

"IAEA experts have been informed by ZNPP that a drone detonated on site today. Such detonation is consistent with IAEA observations," the International Atomic Energy Agency said on X.

1100 GMT — Ukrainian drones attack Zaporizhzhia nuclear station: TASS cites plant

Ukrainian drones attacked the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, damaging a truck parked near the station's canteen, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing the plant authorities.

0940 GMT — Ukraine says situation 'difficult and tense' around Chasiv Yar

The situation around eastern Ukraine's frontline city of Chasiv Yar is "difficult and tense", the army said, adding that the Russian troops were now "in retreat".

Russian forces have unleashed "constant fire" in the area in recent days seeking to seize the city's dominant heights.

Chasiv Yar lies less than 30 kilometres (18 miles) southeast of the regional town of Kramatorsk, an important rail and logistics hub for Ukraine's army.

"The Russian are trying to carry out assaults directly on the small towns of Bogdanivka and Ivanivske, outside Chasiv Yar," Oleg Kalashnikov, spokesman for an army brigade deployed in the area told Ukrainian television.

"They are also trying to carry out offensive actions between the two places," he said, adding that the Russian army was "using infantry backed by armoured fighting vehicles", and "warplanes".

"But all their attacks have been repelled. They are in retreat," the spokesman said.

If Russia takes the devastated town of Chasiv Yar, where 770 people remain out of a pre-invasion population of 13,000, it "will be able to bombard Kostiantynivka", 10 kilometres to the southwest, Kalashnikov also warned.

0936 GMT — Ukraine energy system stable, no major power imports expected, ministry says

The Ukrainian energy system, severely damaged by Russian missile attacks in recent weeks, is now almost completely stabilised and the energy ministry said no major imports were expected.

Since March 22, Russian forces have been attacking Ukrainian thermal and hydropower stations as well as main networks on an almost daily basis, which has led to the blackouts.

Russian drones damaged the national grid company's high-voltage network facility in the eastern Kharkiv region overnight leading to some power cuts.

"Ukraine's energy system is stable and balanced," the ministry said in a statement.

It said power exports were expected at 115 megawatt hours (MWh) on Sunday while imports could total 1,179 Mwh.

0511 GMT — Ukrainian military says it destroys all 17 Russian attack drones overnight

Ukraine's forces destroyed all 17 attack drones launched by Russia overnight, the Ukrainian military said.

"At night the Russian occupiers attacked Ukraine once again, using 17 attack drones. The Ukrainian air defence forces destroyed all of them," the Ukrainian General Staff said on Facebook.

0131 GMT — Ukrainian drones target Belgorod region — local governor

Several settlements in the Belgorod region were targeted by Ukrainian drones, according to TASS news agency, citing an announcement made by the region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov.

He stated that there were no injuries reported in the attacks, which he communicated through his Telegram channel.

Gladkov specified that in the village of Leninsky, situated in the Shebekinsky urban district, a private residential building's roof caught fire as a result of an explosive device detonation.

Emergency responders were able to quickly extinguish the fire, preventing further damage.

For our live updates from Friday, April 6, click here.