Russia on Friday blocked Facebook and restricted access to Twitter as part of efforts to muffle dissent over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine are set to hold a third round of the talks over the weekend as an attack on a nuclear plant in Ukraine triggered widespread condemnations.
- At a special UN Security Council session, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Russia’s “reckless” attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power “represents a dire threat to all of Europe and the world”.
- The Russian ambassador to the UN however denied Russian troops had attacked the site, calling it “untrue”, and blamed “Ukrainian nationalists” for the attack.
- Ukaine’s nuclear inspectorate said Russian forces "occupied" the plant in the eastern city of Enerhodar Friday after an early morning attack.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of “nuclear terror” after Russian troops attacked the site, Europe’s largest nuclear plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency cited local authorities’ report that no radiation rise was detected and “essential” equipment was unaffected by a fire that followed the attack.
- IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has offered to travel to Ukraine to negotiate with Moscow and Kyiv to ensure the safety of nuclear sites.
- The mayor of Mariupol issued a plea for help as water, heating and electricity remained cut in the southern Ukrainian port city. “We are simply being destroyed,” he said.
- The third round of Russia-Ukraine talks near the Belarus border are set to resume over the weekend. Following talks on Thursday, the two sides supported the idea of humanitarian corridors.
- Facebook has been blocked in Russia and Moscow has restricted access to Twitter.
- More than 1 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion, the United Nations said, amounting to the swiftest refugee exodus this century.
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(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP and AP)
