Fire at Ukraine nuclear plant extinguished

Ukraine's FM has warned that if the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear power plant 'blows up, it will be 10 times larger than Chernobyl. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy called for a ceasefire in an emergency address.

On Thursday, Russia and Ukraine held the second round of the talks in Belurus and agreed to hold the third round of negotiations in the nearest future. Mikhail Podolyak, advisor in Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s office and a member of the Ukrainian delegation said that Russia and Ukraine achieved an understanding on the issue of joint establishment of humanitarian corridors for evacuation of civilians and a temporary ceasefire in these areas is possible during the evacuation.

Here are all the latest updates:

Fire at Ukraine nuclear plant extinguished

Emergency services in Ukraine have said that they have extinguished a fire at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant of Zaporizhzhia.

“At 06:20 [04:20 GMT] the fire in the training building of Zaporizhzhia NPP in Energodar was extinguished. There are no victims,” the emergency services said in a statement on Facebook.

UK's Johnson to seek UN Security Council meeting

The office of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will seek an emergency UN Security Council meeting after Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant caught fire. 

Johnson’s office said he spoke to Zelensky in the early hours of the morning. He says Britain will raise the issue immediately with Russia and close partners.

Johnson’s office said he and Zelensky agreed that Russia must immediately cease attacking and allow emergency services unfettered access to the plant. The two agree a ceasefire is essential.

US, Ukrainian officials discuss aid to Ukraine

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has discussed additional security, economic and humanitarian support needed by Ukraine in a call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the State Department has said.

EU agrees to offer protection to Ukraine refugees

The European Union has agreed to approve temporary protection for refugees fleeing the situation in Ukraine while also setting up a humanitarian hub in Romania.

EU interior ministers agreed in a Brussels meeting to activate a temporary protection mechanism drawn up two decades ago – in response to the wars in the former Yugoslavia – but never used.

European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, who attended the meeting, tweeted that it was an “historic decision”.

French interior minister Gerald Darmanin said, “The European Union will accord temporary protection to all those fleeing the war in Ukraine.”

Zaporizhzhia power plant is on fire, says mayor of local town

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the largest of its kind in Europe, is on fire after an attack by Russian troops, the mayor of the nearby town of Enerdohar has said.

“As a result of continuous enemy shelling of buildings and units of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is on fire,” Orlov said.

Czech Republic to send additional military aid to Ukraine

The Czech Republic will send an additional military aid package worth 17 million crowns ($730,000) to Ukraine, including light weapons and ammunition rounds, the defence ministry has said.

The ministry said on its Twitter account the package included hundreds of machine guns or assault rifles and more than 100,0000 ammunition rounds from Czech weapons groups, such as CZG-Ceska Zbrojovka Group.

Fresh US sanctions target Russian elites, Putin’s inner circle

The White House has announced additional sanctions on several wealthy Russian elites and individuals in Putin’s inner circle, including the Russian president’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov.

The sanctions, which include visa restrictions and seizure of assets, target 19 “oligarchs” and 47 of their family members.

Read all the updates from Thursday, March 3, here.

ZZ/