In response to Ukraine’s deployment of over 120,000 soldiers along its border with Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko has deployed a third of Belarus’s armed forces along the entire border. Lukashenko has threatened officials in Kyiv, stating that Belarus will be on the offensive if Ukraine attempts to enter Belarusian soil. The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia has intensified, with Ukrainian forces launching attacks on Russian territory and Russian forces retaliating.
Ukrainian forces have targeted bridges and an oil storage facility in Russia, while Russian air defences have shot down Ukrainian drones. The Russian Ministry of Defence reported shooting down five Ukrainian drones overnight. In Kyiv, air raid sirens sounded as Ukrainian forces thwarted a missile attack, with drones spotted heading towards the capital. The United States and South Korea have accused North Korea of providing ammunition and missiles to Russia for the war in Ukraine.
The situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has also become a cause for concern, with the International Atomic Energy Agency warning of deteriorating safety following a drone strike nearby. Russia has accused Ukraine of dropping an explosive charge near the plant. Both sides have engaged in accusations of attacks on the plant, with IAEA experts reporting damage caused by a drone near the plant’s main gates.
The escalating conflict has led to heightened tensions and concerns over the safety of nuclear facilities in the region. The IAEA has called for maximum restraint from all sides, as the situation continues to unfold.
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