Live blog: NATO warns Russia against attacking allies' infrastructure

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

NATO warns Moscow against attacking allies' critical infrastructure

NATO has told Moscow it would meet attacks on allies' critical infrastructure with a "united and determined response" and was monitoring Russia's nuclear forces closely as the country was "losing on the battlefield" in Ukraine.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that it had not seen any changes in Russia's nuclear posture, but was "vigilant".

The alliance will proceed with its annual nuclear preparedness exercise "Steadfast Noon" next week, in which NATO air forces practise the use of US nuclear bombs based in Europe with training flights, without live weapons.

Dozens of civilian bodies exhumed in recaptured Donetsk towns: Ukraine

Ukraine said that it had recovered the remains of dozens of civilians killed during Russia's attacks in two towns in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine recently recaptured from Moscow's forces.

"In the liberated towns of Sviatogirsk and Lyman, law enforcement officers discovered the sites of mass burials of civilians," the prosecutor general said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that 34 remains were exhumed in Sviatogirsk and another 44 in Lyman.

In a cemetery in Lyman, authorities found around 110 graves, the prosecutor's office said.

Turkish, Russian defence ministers discuss security over phone

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar discussed bilateral and regional security issues, including the war in Ukraine, with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu in a phone call.

The phone call on Tuesday came ahead of a NATO defence ministers meeting scheduled to be held in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday to sustain support to Ukraine and continue to strengthen NATO’s own defenses against Russia.

According to the Turkish Defence Ministry's statement, Akar told Shoigu that an urgent cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine needs to be reached to prevent further loss of life and to reestablish peace and stability in the region.

Ukraine's Zelenskyy urges UNESCO cultural protection for Odessa

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially requested that UNESCO add the historic port city of Odessa to its World Heritage List in a bid to protect it from Russian air strikes.

"We must provide a clear signal that the world will not turn a blind eye to the destruction of our common history, our common culture, our common heritage," Zelenskyy told the 58 member states of the UN's cultural watchdog in a pre-recorded video on Tuesday.

"One of the steps for this should be the preservation of the historical centre of Odessa - a beautiful city, an important port of the Black Sea and a source of culture for millions of people in different countries," he said.

Ukraine urges civilians to save energy after Russian air strikes

Ukraine urged civilians not to use domestic appliances like ovens and washing machines to save electricity as millions faced blackouts after the biggest Russian attack on its energy network since war broke out.

Authorities are trying to repair the damage after Russia fired missiles at energy facilities across Ukraine on Monday, causing widespread power outages and prompting Kiev to announce it was halting electricity exports.

The Kiev capital region began rolling power cuts to save energy, but repairs of the grid in the western city of Lviv were set back by a new Russian missile strike that left 30% of the population there without power.

Ukraine says 32 soldiers freed in prisoner swap with Russia

The Ukrainian presidency said that 32 of its soldiers had been freed and the body of an Israeli citizen recovered in the latest prisoner swap with Russia.

"Another exchange of prisoners took place today. We managed to free 32 of our soldiers and get back the body of Israeli citizen Dmytro Fialka," Andriy Yermak, head of the president's office, wrote on Telegram on Tuesday.

Putin tells IAEA's Grossi Moscow is 'open to dialogue' on Ukraine nuclear plant

Russian President Vladimir Putin told UN nuclear agency chief Rafael Grossi he was "open to dialogue" on Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in territory controlled by Moscow's forces in southern Ukraine.

In televised comments with Grossi on ahead of their meeting in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday, Putin told the IAEA chief he was "ready to discuss all issues of mutual interest or cause for concern, for example, regarding the situation around the Zaporizhzhia power plant" and said he was "open to this dialogue".

A statement by the IAEA released after the meeting said that Grossi was due to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev "later this week" for further talks regarding Europe's biggest nuclear power plant.

Russia's Ukraine strikes 'sign of weakness': NATO chief

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Russia was striking Ukraine's infrastructure to make up for battlefield losses by its troops and vowed allies would "step up and sustain" support for Kiev.

"I think what we saw yesterday (Monday) is actually a sign of weakness, because the reality is that they are not able to make progress on the battlefield. Russia is actually losing on the battlefield," Stoltenberg said on Tuesday on the eve of a meeting of NATO defence ministers.

"So the way they're able to respond is by indiscriminate attacks on Ukrainian cities, hitting civilians, critical infrastructure."

Death toll from Russia’s recent attacks on Ukraine rises to 19

The death toll from Russia’s latest strikes in Ukraine has risen to 19 with dozens of others wounded, according to the country’s emergency service.

The number of injured by Russia’s shelling, which started on Monday, reached 105, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine said in a statement.

“As a result of attacks, critical and civil infrastructure facilities were struck yesterday in 12 regions and Kiev city, where more than 30 fires broke out, which were extinguished by the State Emergency Service," it added.

Ukraine-focused Ferrexpo's output suspended after Russian missile barrage

Ukraine-focused miner Ferrexpo Plc said its production has been temporarily suspended after Russian missile attacks damaged state-owned electrical infrastructure.

Ferrexpo, the world's third-largest exporter of iron ore pellets, has its operations in Ukraine and has been facing disruptions since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict earlier this year.

"Limited power supply is available at the group's operations, which are being prioritised for critical equipment required for essential services and local communities," the miner said in a statement.

Air raid warnings across Ukraine - emergency services

Emergency services put all Ukraine on alert for more missile strikes, a day after heavy Russian attacks.

"Warning. During the day there's a high probability of missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine. Please remain in shelters for your own safety, do not ignore air raid signals," it said on the Telegram messaging app.

UN fears Russian strikes to provoke more displacements

The United Nations refugee chief has warned more people will be forced to flee their homes in Ukraine after Russian missiles rained down on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities.

"The bombing of civilians, of houses ..., of non-military infrastructure in an indiscriminate manner in many cities across Ukraine, means the war is becoming harder and more difficult for civilians," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told journalists in Geneva.

"I fear that the events of these last hours will provoke more displacements."

G7 to hold virtual meeting to support Ukraine

US President Joe Biden and Group of Seven (G7) leaders will hold a virtual meeting on Tuesday to discuss their commitment to support Ukraine and hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for Russia's aggression, including its recent missile strikes across Ukraine, the White House said.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will participate at the top of the meeting, the White House said.

US promises advanced air defence systems to Ukraine

US President Joe Biden promised to provide advanced air defence systems to Ukraine after Russian missiles targeted the capital Kiev and other cities, the White House said in a statement.

Biden spoke to Zelenskyy and "pledged to continue providing Ukraine with the support needed to defend itself, including advanced air defense systems," the statement said.

After speaking with Biden, Zelenskyy tweeted that "air defence is currently the number 1 priority in our defense cooperation."

UN rejects Russia's secret ballot over annexed Ukraine territories

The United Nations General Assembly voted to reject Russia's call for the 193-member body to hold a secret ballot later this week on whether to condemn Moscow's move to annex four partially occupied regions in Ukraine.

The General Assembly decided, with 107 votes in favour, that it would hold a public vote — not a secret ballot — on a draft resolution that condemns Russia's "illegal so-called referenda" and the "attempted illegal annexation."

Diplomats said the vote on the resolution would likely be on Wednesday or Thursday.

For live updates from Monday (October 10), click here