There is a fire in the area of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant that started in a training building outside the actual power plant. According to NBC News, a direct link has been established between the US and Russian armed forces regarding the situation in Ukraine. Ukrainians in the United States are granted “temporary protection status.”
For this story, we compiled three key events last night related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Fire in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant
In Ukraine, a fire broke out at night in the area of a nuclear power plant near the city of Enerhodar in the wake of attacks by Russian troops. There had been fighting in the area between local forces and Russian forces. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba urges the Russians to immediately stop firing so firefighters can put out the fire.
Shortly afterwards, Ukrainian authorities said the fire at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant had started in a training building outside the actual power plant. According to the authorities, the essential systems of the power plant have not been affected by the fire.
A representative of the nuclear power plant told Ukraine 24 that the radiation situation at the nuclear power plant had been safe.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called on Russian forces to stop attacking the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi accused Russia of nuclear terrorism in a video message released at night. According to Zelensky, Russia wants to repeat the Chernobyl disaster.
NBC: US and Russian armed forces “hot line”
A direct link has been established between the US and Russian armed forces in connection with the situation in Ukraine, according to the US news channel NBC News.
The United States has troops in NATO countries in the vicinity of Ukraine. According to NBC, communication channels are intended to prevent direct conflicts between countries.
An unnamed U.S. military source said on Thursday that there had been several channels of communication between the countries during the day.
The United States and Russia have had a similar “hot line” during the Syrian conflict.
The United States will allow tens of thousands of Ukrainians to remain in the country
President of the United States Joe Biden the administration announced on Thursday that Ukrainians already in the country will be granted “temporary protection status”, which will be valid for the next 18 months. Status allows you to stay and work in the United States.
It also means that Ukrainians will not be deported from the United States to Ukraine.
The decision affects tens of thousands of Ukrainians who are already in the United States but are unable to return to their homeland due to the Russian invasion war.