Attachments
Tensions were high across Ukraine on 24 August as the country celebrated 31 years of independence from the Soviet Union amid fears of attacks. As many as 25 civilians, including children, are reported to have been killed in an airstrike at Chaplyne railway station.
The same day also marked six months since the start of the war and the UN Security Council held a session in which both the Secretary General and President Zelensky spoke. A joint statement was also issued by states reaffirming solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was temporarily disconnected from the main power grid on 25 August, reportedly due to shelling of key infrastructure around the plant. The incident led to large-scale power outages and sparked fears of a reactor meltdown and related radition incident.
On 27 and 28 August, UNHCR’s Representative, Karolina Lindholm Billing, met separately with the newly appointed Governor of Khersonska oblast and the First Deputy Governor of Zaporizka to discuss their challenges, including assisting evacuees and the risks associated with the nuclear power plant, as well as needs for winter.
During her recent visit, UNHCR’s Deputy High Commissioner, Kelly Clements, spoke to the Kyiv post about the situation in Ukraine and the implications for refugees and internally displaced. She affirmed UNHCR’s support to the Government in responding to the needs of its people.