War in Ukraine LIVE: Zelensky denounces “Russian blackmail” around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant…

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THE ESSENTIAL

• The rating agencies S&P and Fitch downgraded Ukraine, now only one notch from default, after the announcement of a moratorium on its external debt obtained from its international creditors.

• kyiv and Moscow continue to accuse each other of bombing the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporozhye, the largest in Europe.

  Volodymyr Zelensky denounces "Russian blackmail" around the nuclear site.

  Since August 5, several bombings have targeted the plant, raising fears of a nuclear disaster.

• EU member Hungary announced on Saturday that the Russian company Gazprom has started delivering more natural gas to it than expected in their previous trade deals.

  Brussels has also started to implement a plan to reduce its gas consumption by 15%.

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7:58 a.m .: Zelensky denounces “Russian blackmail” around Zaporozhye

In his daily address, Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday denounced “Russian blackmail” around the Zaporozhye nuclear site.

“The occupiers are trying to intimidate people in an extremely cynical way by using the nuclear power plant,” the president said, claiming that Russian forces are “hiding” behind the plant to bomb the Ukrainian-held towns of Nikopol and Marganets.

In addition, Volodymyr Zelensky added that those responsible for the "blackmail" should "be judged before an international court".

7:42 am: Ukraine and Russia still accuse each other of shooting at the Zaporozhye power plant

kyiv and Moscow on Saturday again exchanged accusations of shooting at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, occupied by Russia.

“Limit your presence in the streets of Energodar!

We have received information about new provocations from the Russian occupiers, Ukrainian nuclear agency Energoatom said on Telegram.

“According to the testimonies of the inhabitants, shelling is again in progress in the direction of the nuclear power plant of Zaporozhye (…) The interval between the departure and the arrival of the shots is 3-5 seconds”.

For their part, the occupying authorities installed by Russia in the areas it occupies in the Zaporozhye region unsurprisingly accused the Ukrainian forces of being behind the firing.

“Energodar and the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant are again under fire from militants (of Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky,” a member of the pro-Russian military and civil administration, Vladimir Rogov, said on Telegram.

The projectiles fell "in areas located on the banks of the Dnieper and in the power plant", he said, without reporting any casualties or damage.

The Dnieper River (Dnipro in Ukrainian) separates areas in Russian hands from those controlled by Ukrainian authorities.

7:30 a.m.: The Ukrainian national anthem for Russian tourists in Finland

It is a symbolic measure to protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In eastern Finland, the Imatrankoski rapids are a must-see attraction: every day at the same time, the Ukrainian national anthem sounds, the almost century-old dam opens and the water rushes in under the gaze of hundreds of visitors including many Russians.

Traditionally, it was the music of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius alone that accompanied the daily event, but since the end of July it has been preceded by the anthem of Ukraine.

In the neighboring town of Lappeenranta, the Ukrainian national anthem also resounds every evening from the top of the town hall, which overlooks the shopping centers popular with Russian tourists.

Many Russians travel to Lappeenranta to buy clothes and cosmetics, and Russian license plates are aplenty throughout the town.

Hello everyone !

Welcome to this new live dedicated to the war in Ukraine.

Like every day, the editorial staff of

• World

• War in Ukraine

• Video

• Russia

• Vladimir Poutine

• Volodymyr Zelensky

• Nuclear plant