Key events
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says he won’t hesitate to use Russian tactical nuclear weapons if faced with an act of aggression.
Lukashenko’s comment contract earlier statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin who has previously claimed any nuclear weapons stationed in Belarus would remain exclusively under control of Moscow
On Tuesday the Belarusian “everything is ready” for the Russian nuclear weapons’ deployment, adding that “it could take just a few days for us to get what we had asked for and even a bit more.”
Asked later by a Russian state TV host whether Belarus had already received some of the weapons, Lukashenko responded coyly by saying: “Not all of them, little by little.”
He appeared to confirm that his government had taken possession of some weapons from Russian and added that they are three times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
God forbid I have to make a decision to use those weapons today, but there would be no hesitation if we face an aggression.
But in a later media appearance on Russian TV on Tuesday, he clarified he would consult with Putin before using any of the weapons.
Listen, if a war starts, do you think I will look around? I pick up the phone, and wherever he is, he picks it up. If he calls, I pick it up any time. It’s no problem at all to coordinate launching a strike.
Russian officials had no immediate comment on Lukashenko’s remarks.
– AP
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi is expected to visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to “make [his[ own assessment” on the risks posed to the operation in the ongoing conflict.
Grossi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday night ahead of his site visit to discuss the issue following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam which formed a reservoir that provided cooling water for the plant.
Speaking to journalists before his visit, Grossi said the situation complicated “an already precarious nuclear safety and security situation” .
It is a step in the wrong direction, it is yet another step in the weakening of the safety net that one has in any nuclear power plant.
Grossi said he will assess the integrity of the station’s water channels, cooling pond and to clarify whether the pond has been mined.
I would say – again without having visited and on the basis of what my team there is informing me – there will be water (in the pond) for a few weeks, or maybe a month or two.
There is no immediate situation: there is water there but it could be going down.
He also said that even if the reservoir empties “there are alternatives” such as pumping in water or drilling for ground water.
Three killed in missile attack on Odesa
Three people have been killed and at least 13 injured in a Russian missile attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa on Tuesday morning, Ukrainian forces have said.
Air defences downed two Kalibr missiles but authorities say the attack targeted civilian infrastructure including a business centre, an educational institution, a residential complex, restaurants and shops.
A view shows a shopping mall damaged by a Russian missile strike. Photograph: State Emergency Service Of Ukraine/Reuters
A warehouse of a retail chain was also hit in the attack, causing a fire to break out.
Work is underway to clear the debris and a search for people trapped under the rubble remains ongoing.
Opening Summary
Hello and welcome back to our live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine – this is Royce Kurmelovs bringing you the latest developments.
Three people have been killed and at least 13 injured during a missile attack on the city of Odesa, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday. Authorities say the attack struck civilian infrastructure in the southern port city and work is underway to pick through the rubble in the search for survivors.
The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, has met President Volodomyr Zelenskiy to discuss risks to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant ahead of a planned visit to the facility. Grossi told journalists following the meeting that he planned to travel to the plant on Wednesday so he can “make [his] own assessment” as to “what kind of danger we have”.
Zelenskiy himself has praised the courage of Ukrainian troops during the early stages of his countries counter offensive and singled out units operating near the besieged city of Bakhmut saying “there is forward movement in various areas”. Zelenskiy also praised several other units thanking them “for your strength”.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed Ukrainian losses during the conflict are near “catastrophic” and that the counterattack had not been successful in any area. The Russian president made the claim during televised meetings with war correspondents and military bloggers. “This is a massive counteroffensive, using strategic reserves that were prepared for this task,” Putin said. “They lost over 160, we lost 54 tanks, and some of them are subject to restoration and repair.”
In other news:
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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said his country won’t hesitate to use Russian nuclear weapons in the event his country is threatened with repression.
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The US House of Representatives has voted unanimously on a resolution calling for Russia to immediately release imprisoned US journalist Evan Gershkovich.
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Moscow has also flagged it may withdraw from the Black Sea grain deal, after Putin says he has been cheated by the west who have failed to deliver on a promise to help bring Russian agricultural goods to world markets.
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A Russian missile strike on an apartment in Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine has killed 11 and injured more than 30 people, according to an updated casualty list provided by Volodymr Zelenskiy on Tuesday.
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US President Joe Biden has met with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg ahead of a major meeting of the alliance next month in Lithuania where questions about Ukraine’s membership are expected to be addressed
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The US government has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $325m which includes artillery rounds, anti-aircraft systems and 15 new Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles. The UK Ministry of Defence has announced a $115m air defence package for Ukraine. Latvia has allocated another $460,000 in aid to Ukraine following the Kakhova Dam disaster.
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Ukrainian forces have been confirmed to have liberated the village of Neskuchne on Tuesday after Reuters journalists were able to reach the area. Russia has not yet acknowledge any gains.
