Russia Ukraine War Live Updates: Moscow detains politician for criticising Ukrainian invasion; conflict crosses six-month mark

Members of the Honour Guard attend a rising ceremony of the Ukraine’s greatest nationwide flag to mark the Day of the State Flag, amid Russia’s assault on Ukraine, in Kyiv. (Reuters)

The UN nuclear company renewed its request to evaluate the protection and safety at Europe’s largest nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine which Russia and Ukraine accuse one another of shelling, sparking warnings of a attainable nuclear disaster. UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo introduced at first of an emergency assembly of the UN Security Council on the scenario on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant that Rafael Grossi, director common of the International Atomic Energy Agency, requested to ship an IAEA mission “to carry out essential safety, security and safeguard activities at the site.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed representatives of about 60 states and worldwide organisations attending a digital summit on Crimea that Kyiv would drive Russian forces out of the peninsular by any means mandatory, with out consulting different international locations beforehand.

The conflict has killed hundreds of civilians, pressured over a 3rd of Ukraine’s 41 million individuals from their properties, left cities in ruins and shaken international markets. It is basically at a standstill with no speedy prospect of peace talks. In addition to Crimea which it annexed in 2014, Russia has expanded its management to areas of the south together with the Black Sea and Sea of Azov coasts, and chunks of the jap Donbas area comprising the provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Ukraine’s armed forces have stated nearly 9,000 army personnel have been killed within the conflict to date. Russia has not publicised its losses however US intelligence estimates 15,000 killed in what Moscow calls a “special military operation” to “denazify” Ukraine. Kyiv says the invasion is an unprovoked act of imperial aggression.