(Reuters) - Ukraine is targeting Russian soldiers who shoot at Europe's largest nuclear power station or use it as a base to shoot from, as G7 nations, fearing a nuclear catastrophe, called on Moscow to withdraw its forces from the plant.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said any Russian soldier who shoots at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant or uses it as cover would become a "special target" and repeated accusations that Moscow was using the plant as nuclear blackmail.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak accusedRussia of "hitting the part of the nuclear power plant where theenergy that powers the south of Ukraine is generated."
Western countries have called for Moscow to withdraw its troops from the Zaporizhzhia plant, but there has been no sign so far of Russia agreeing.
The plant was captured by Russian forces in early March but is still run by Ukrainian technicians.
Reuters could not confirm battlefield reports independently.
Any possible seizure of Russian assets by the United States will completely destroy Moscow's bilateral relations with Washington, TASS quoted the head of the North American Department at the Russian foreign ministry as saying.
Russia has told the United States that diplomatic ties would be badly damaged and even could be broken off if Russia is declared a "state sponsor of terrorism" by the U.S., TASS cited a top foreign ministry official as saying on Friday.
Russia's invasion, which it calls a "special military operation" to demilitarise and "denazify" its smaller neighbour, has pushed Moscow-Washington relations to a low point, with Russia warning it may sever ties.
The United States has led Ukraine's Western allies in supplying it with weapons to defend itself and punitive sanctions against Moscow.
A senior Russian official on Friday said Moscow had told Washington that if the U.S. Senate passed a law singling out Russia as a "state sponsor of terrorism", diplomatic ties would be badly damaged and could even be broken off.
Two more ships carrying grain left Ukraine's Black Sea ports on Saturday, Turkey's defence ministry said, bringing to 16 the number of vessels to depart under a U.N.-brokered deal aimed partly at easing a global food crisis.
Ukraine's infrastructure ministry said on Saturday that 16ships carrying 450,000 tonnes of agricultural products haddeparted from Ukrainian sea ports since early August under thedeal, which ensured safe passage for vessels.
The agreement, signed by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and theU.N. in July amid warnings of possible outbreaks offamine, allowed grain exports from Ukraine's Black Sea ports toresume after being stalled for five months due to the war.
Two more ships left from Ukraine's Black Sea ports on Saturday, Turkey's defence ministry said, bringing the total number of ships to depart the country under a U.N.-brokered deal to 16.
Securing a new $5 billion loan from the IMF would help assure Ukraine's other creditors that its macroeconomic situation was under control, Zelenskiy's chief economic adviser said on Friday. - Investing.com
