Russia in bombshell ceasefire announcement over Zaporizhzhia | World | News

A Russian state corporation has announced a localised ceasefire. The head of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, said a localised ceasefire was reached near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has been under the control of Vladimir Putin’s troops since March 2022, weeks into their unlawful invasion of Ukraine.

The localised ceasefire would allow for repair of the Zaporizhzhia site, among the 10 biggest nuclear power plants in the world. Ukraine hasn’t yet commented on the announcement nor has confirmed it. If true, this would pause the fighting in the area in light of several warnings issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over fears of catastrophic damage due to troops exchanging fire too close to the site.

Last month, repair works began on the backup power line connecting the power plant to the power grid.

After the attack, the plant was left dependent on its only functioning 750-kilovolt main power line.

Before the war broke out four years ago, the power plant – Europe’s largest nuclear power facility – generated around 20% of Ukraine’s electricity.

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This latest localised ceasefire around the plant is the fifth of its kind, with the previous one agreed in January, also by the IAEA.

IAEA director general Rafael Grossi said at the time: “This temporary ceasefire, the fourth we have negotiated, demonstrates the indispensable role that we continue to play.”

It added: “The team… has reported multiple air raid alarms each day over the past week and was informed that a military flying object had been observed approximately 10 kilometers from the site.”