Russia's military aggression against Ukraine continues.



Fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces continues across Ukraine, forcing thousands of civilians to flee the country.

We will keep you updated on developments regarding the situation in Ukraine on the 8th (Japan time), including the situation of the fighting and the diplomacy of the countries concerned.



(There is a time difference of 6 hours between Japan and Ukraine and Moscow, Russia)

IAEA Director-General to visit Russia early next week for consultations

IAEA Director General Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who was visiting Ukraine, issued a statement on the 7th and plans to visit Russia in the first half of next week to hold consultations in order to establish a safe zone around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. clarified.



The statement also said that shelling outside the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant site on the 6th damaged the power lines that supply power to one of the six reactors in cold shutdown. .



This means that the emergency generator was operated for about an hour and a half until the reactor could receive alternative power supply to maintain the cooling function.



On the 21st of last month, the cable supplying power to this reactor was damaged by shelling and the emergency generator was temporarily activated. It is urgent to create a nuclear power plant, ”he emphasized that he would like to advance talks with Russia to ensure the safety of nuclear power plants.

Putin stresses solidarity at meeting of former Soviet leaders

On the 7th, President Putin of Russia held an informal summit meeting of the CIS = Commonwealth of Independent States made up of former Soviet countries in Saint Petersburg, the second city.



At the outset, President Putin emphasized solidarity by describing the leaders who attended as "our closest friends and allies, and the leaders of countries with which we have a true strategic partnership."



President Putin's 70th birthday is on the 7th, and President Lukashenko of Belarus, who attended the meeting, presented him with an agricultural tractor. It means that



Putin is scheduled to meet again next week with the leaders of the former Soviet countries.



Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries are showing a stance of drawing a line with Russia, which continues to invade Ukraine, and President Putin is aiming to tighten up the former Soviet countries, which he regards as his sphere of influence, amid deepening conflicts with Europe and the United States. It seems.