Ukraine Latest: US Defense Chief Warns About Potential Nuclear Spiral - Yahoo Finance

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(Bloomberg) -- Powerful blasts shook the country of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia atomic powerfulness works implicit the past day, including much than a twelve connected Sunday morning, the UN’s atomic bureau said. Some buildings and systems person been damaged, but nary critically truthful far.

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Russian peculiar services program “provocations” connected targets successful Belarus, including the Ostrovets atomic powerfulness works adjacent the Lithuanian border, Ukraine’s defence quality said. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned of a imaginable “dangerous spiral of atomic proliferation” spinning disconnected from Moscow’s penetration of Ukraine.

As Russia’s penetration of Ukraine nears the nine-month mark, a apical adjutant to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said holding talks with Moscow present would beryllium “capitulation.” UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a caller aerial defence bundle for Ukraine aft traveling to Kyiv connected Saturday.

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Key Developments

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Atomic Site Damaged by Powerful Blasts
Ukrainians Endure Widespread Blackouts After Russia’s Attacks
Sunak Visits Ukraine to Offer Major UK Air Defense Package
UK Skeptical connected Macron Call for Talks, Says Ukraine Must Decide
Kazakhstan Vote Sets Stage for Putin Ally to Move Past Riots

On the Ground

Russian forces fired missiles astatine civilian infrastructure successful Kramatorsk and Sviatohirsk successful the bluish Donetsk portion implicit the past day, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said successful an update. Four rocket strikes, astir sixty aggregate rocket launcher attacks and 1 aerial bombardment were made. Kyiv’s forces repelled Russian attacks successful Bilohorivka successful the Luhansk oblast and settlements including Spirne and Bakhmutin the Donetsk region. Moscow’s troops are bolstering defenses and proviso lines adjacent Kryvyi Rih successful cardinal Ukraine and Kherson, and proceed shelling Ukrainian forces connected recaptured close slope of the Dnipro River. Russian units that withdrew from Kherson this period are being redeployed to Luhansk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

(All times CET)

Ukraine FM Calls for Ban connected Russian ‘Propaganda’ (5:20 p.m.)

Ukraine’s overseas curate called for a prohibition connected “Russian authorities propaganda successful the EU and elsewhere.”

In a tweet, Dmytro Kuleba said commentators connected Russian authorities tv were inciting “genocide” by admitting that a run to weaponry captious Ukrainian infrastructure was meant “to inflict unbearable conditions connected the beingness of civilians.”

Some 50% of Ukraine’s energy systems person been damaged by a weeks-long run of Russian rocket and drone strikes.

Macron Speaks with IAEA’s Grossi After Zaporizhzhia Blasts (4:30 p.m.)

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Rafael Grossi, manager wide of the International Atomic Energy Agency, connected Sunday aft blasts shook the country of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia atomic powerfulness plant, according to a connection from the Elysee statesmanlike palace.

Macron volition beryllium talk with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy connected Sunday, the connection said. The French person has suggested Ukraine look to restart talks with Moscow.

Finland, Poland Urge Using Russian Assets to Help Ukraine (4 p.m.)

Finland and Poland volition propulsion for the assets of Russia that person been frozen by the European Union to beryllium utilized to assistance rebuild Ukraine.

The 2 countries program to rise the contented astatine the DATE European Council gathering and volition propulsion the European Commission to find a ineligible mode to usage the assets to assistance reconstruct Ukraine, Prime Ministers Sanna Marin and Mateusz Morawiecki told a associated quality league successful Helsinki.

UN Agency Cites ‘Powerful’ Blasts astatine Atomic Plant, No Critical Damage (12:30 p.m.)

“Powerful explosions” shook the country of the Zaporizhzhia atomic powerfulness works successful Ukraine, the UN’s atomic bureau said, adding that determination had been nary captious harm truthful far.

Ukrainian forces fired connected the plant, Russian authorities media reported, citing an authoritative from Russia’s atomic powerfulness operator. There was nary remark from Kyiv. Moscow and Kyiv person traded blasted for months of sporadic shelling of the facility.

“Whoever is down this, it indispensable halt immediately,” said Rafael Mariano Grossi, manager wide of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Ukraine Warns of Russian Provocations successful Belarus (11:30 a.m.)

Russia plans to signifier “provocations” connected cardinal Belarusian infrastructure, including the Ostrovets atomic powerfulness works successful the northwest, and blasted Kyiv and NATO countries, Ukraine’s defence quality bureau warned.

“The determination of the alleged ‘incidents’ is the territory bordering EU countries and Ukraine -- successful particular, the Grodno and Brest regions,” the bureau said connected its website.

There was nary remark from Russia. The Ostrovets works is located astir 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Vilnius, the superior of Lithuania.

German Agency Says Winter Blackouts May Be Needed (12 p.m.)

Germany’s apical civilian extortion authorization warned of imaginable impermanent determination powerfulness outages successful winter, with risks expanding from January and February.

“The origin volition not lone beryllium vigor shortages, but besides the targeted, impermanent shutdown of the grids by the operators, with the purpose of protecting the grids and not endangering the wide supply,” Ralph Tiesler, president of the Federal Office for Civil Protection, told Welt americium Sonntag.

Europe’s largest system is astatine the halfway of the region’s vigor situation aft Russia chopped earthy state shipments successful retaliation for sanctions implicit the warfare successful Ukraine. The authorities has been reluctant to accidental whether powerfulness cuts mightiness beryllium indispensable this winter.

Aide Says Negotiating With Russia Would beryllium ‘Capitulation’ (10:15 a.m.)

A apical adjutant to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pushed backmost connected attempts by allies to transportation Ukraine to negociate with Moscow, saying specified talks would beryllium “capitulation.”

“When you person the inaugural connected the battlefield, it’s somewhat bizarre to person proposals like: ‘you volition not beryllium capable to bash everything by subject means anyway,’” Mykhaylo Podolyak told AFP successful an interview.

Podolyak laid retired a privation database for caller arms deliveries from Western allies, including 50 to 70 aggregate rocket launcher systems, 200 tanks, and 100 artillery systems.

Zelenskiy Focused connected Donetsk successful Military Advisers’ Meeting (9:30 a.m.)

Zelenskiy met Saturday with apical subject and quality advisers. The concern successful Donetsk -- wherever Russia is reportedly relocating troops who’ve been evacuated from the Kherson portion arsenic good arsenic caller conscripts -- was successful focus, according to a posting connected the statesmanlike website.

Other topics included the restoration of vigor supplies successful recently de-occupied territories, and the wide concern with Ukraine’s vigor strategy aft a period of Russian airstrikes connected cardinal facilities.

Russian Retreat From Kherson More Orderly, UK Says (8 a.m.)

Withdrawal of Russian troops from westbound of Kherson was “conducted successful comparatively bully bid compared to erstwhile large Russian retreats during the war,” the UK defence ministry said.

Vehicle losses by Kremlin forces could astir apt beryllium counted successful the tens alternatively than the hundreds, the ministry said successful a Twitter thread.

The comparative occurrence “is apt partially owed to a much effective, azygous operational bid nether General Sergei Surovikin,” who was appointed successful aboriginal October to pb Russia’s efforts successful Ukraine.

Putin Ally Favored successful Kazakh Presidential Vote (6:26 a.m.)

The Central Asian authorities of Kazakhstan holds a statesmanlike predetermination connected Sunday, with the incumbent, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, expected to romp to triumph without meaningful opposition.

An state of President Vladimir Putin, who sent successful troops to assistance crush protests earlier successful the year, Tokayev nevertheless has been openly defiant of the Russian person implicit the warfare successful Ukraine.

Read more: Kazakh Vote Sets Stage for Putin Ally to Move Past Riots, Purges

US Defense Chief Warns of Possible ‘Nuclear Spiral’ (11 p.m.)

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned of a imaginable “dangerous spiral of atomic proliferation” arsenic a by-product of Russia’s warfare successful Ukraine, but said NATO wouldn’t beryllium “dragged into Putin’s warfare of choice.”

“Russia’s penetration offers a preview of a imaginable satellite of tyranny and turmoil,” Austin said Saturday astatine the Halifax International Security Forum successful Canada. “It’s an invitation to an progressively insecure satellite haunted by the shadiness of atomic proliferation.”

The Russian president’s “fellow autocrats are watching. And they could good reason that getting atomic weapons would springiness them a hunting licence of their own,” Austin said.

Iran, Russia successful Deal connected Drone Production: Washington Post (5:30 p.m.)

Vladimir Putin’s authorities reached an statement with Tehran to commencement manufacturing Iranian-designed drones connected Russian soil, the Washington Post reported, citing quality seen by US and Western officials.

The woody was inked during a gathering successful Iran successful aboriginal November and the countries are moving up rapidly to transportation designs and cardinal components with an oculus to starting accumulation wrong 3 months, the paper reported.

Five More Ships Sail Under Black Sea Initiative (5:30 p.m.)

Five vessels near Ukrainian ports connected Saturday carrying a full of 244,143 tons of grains and different nutrient products, the Black Sea Grain Initiative’s coordination halfway said.

Among the cargoes was 1 carrying 62,843 tonnes of sunflower repast for China. Others carried wheat and maize to South Korea, rapeseed to Belgium, and soybeans to Egypt.

Sunak Meets With Zelenskiy, Offers Air Defense (2:30 p.m.)

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak connected Saturday made his archetypal sojourn to Kyiv since taking bureau successful October to affirm the UK’s continued enactment for Ukraine’s warfare efforts.

The UK volition supply aerial defence instrumentality worthy £50 cardinal ($59 million) to assistance support Ukrainians from a barrage of Russian strikes connected captious infrastructure.

In a Facebook post, Ukraine’s president said the brace discussed “the astir important issues some for our countries and for planetary security.”

Read more: Sunak Visits Ukraine to Offer Major UK Air Defense Package

First Kyiv-Kherson Train Arrives (2 p.m.)

The archetypal bid from Kyiv to Kherson since Russia’s penetration successful February arrived aboriginal Saturday, carrying immoderate 200 passengers, days aft Ukrainian troops wrested the southeastern metropolis from Moscow’s control.

“This is our triumph train!” Kyrylo Tymoshenko, an authoritative with the Ukrainian statesmanlike office, said connected Telegram.

US to Allocate Up to $20 Million to Buy Ukraine’s Grain (1:49 p.m.)

The US, done USAID, has go the archetypal state to backmost a Ukrainian inaugural for developed countries to acquisition its atom for countries successful need, said Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called successful his code to the G20 this week to money caller shipments of atom astir the day of the 1930s Holodomor famine, orchestrated by Soviet person Josef Stalin to punish farmers successful Ukraine who resisted corporate farms. An estimated 7 cardinal radical died successful the famine.

Russia Plans More ‘Covert Mobilization Efforts,’ ISW Says (11:30 a.m.)

Russian officials “are preparing for further covert mobilization efforts” to enactment up unit numbers, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

Telegram channels successful Russia person discussed indicators that the Kremlin is preparing for a 2nd mobilization wave, the US-based subject analysts said successful an update. Russian President Vladimir Putin connected Oct. 31 declared a ceremonial extremity to the Kremlin’s earlier partial mobilization.

An representation was circulated of a draught summons to a antheral successful St. Petersburg reportedly told to study for work successful January. Russian “milbloggers” besides circulated claims that wide mobilization volition statesman successful December oregon January, ISW said, adding that “it is evident that Russian authorities ne'er afloat halted mobilization efforts.”