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Turkey is deepening trade relations with Russia in the face of Western sanctions against Moscow. Political observers say Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could be relying on Russian support to help ease Turkey’s growing economic woes as he faces reelection next year. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.
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An engineer working under Russian occupation since March 4 at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) has told VOA that Russian forces have placed artillery and missile installations within and around the property of the plant and have themselves caused explosions near the plant in an apparent attempt to discredit the Ukrainian military.

The account of the engineer, whose identity is being withheld for fear of retaliation by the occupying authorities, supports Ukrainian government claims that Russia itself is responsible for the explosions in the area of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. Russian officials have repeatedly said the explosions are the result of Ukrainian rocket and artillery fire.

Negotiations have been under way for inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to gain access to the site to determine the risk of a catastrophic accident. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said this week that he hopes to conclude negotiations with the two countries on details of an inspection visit soon.

The interview with the engineer, a longtime resident of the city of Enerhodar, where the plant is located, took place before Ukraine’s state company, Energoatom, announced Thursday that fires at a nearby coal-fired plant had cut off the last connection line between the plant and the Ukrainian power grid. The IAEA later said Ukraine told it that power had been restored through a nearby thermal power facility.

Following is a transcript of the interview, which was conducted in Russian by VOA’s Georgian Service and has been translated.

VOA: How difficult is the current situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant?

To date, the situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP can be characterized as steadily difficult. At this stage, the safety of the nuclear power plant is under control. But all the ZNPP staff have to work under a lot of pressure from the Russians.

Because of this, the psychological condition of the employees is critical. In addition to almost daily shootings and bombings, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the largest in Europe, and a radiation leak would be a global disaster.

VOA: The Ukrainian side claims that the Russians often use the territory of the power plant for artillery and missile strikes, as well as having mined the machine halls of their nuclear reactors.

I can confirm that it is. Different types of Russian artillery and missile installations are located both inside the territory of the nuclear power plant and around it, on the perimeter, near the Kakhovka Reservoir. The territory of the power plant is also filled with other Russian military equipment. As for putting mines in the facility, they talk about it here, too, but I have not seen it personally.

VOA: The Ukrainian side also claims that the Russians themselves are bombing the ZNPP territory.

Several times, from the so-called promzone [industrial zone], they bombed places that cannot affect the safe operation of the power plant. I think that the Russians are trying to discredit the armed forces of Ukraine for the purpose of propaganda that the Ukrainian army is hitting the nuclear power plant from the other side of the Dnieper River. At the same time, the Russians deliberately damaged the high-voltage power lines that connect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant with the Ukrainian power system.

VOA: What danger does this pose to a nuclear power plant?

In order to function properly, a nuclear power plant needs to send the generated energy to the power system, and electricity is needed for the pumps to work properly and for the timely cooling of the nuclear fuel in the nuclear reactors.

Here, they think that by damaging the high-voltage power lines, the Russians want to arrange a small accident and stop ZNPP for a short time, then supply us with electricity from Crimea and automatically switch the nuclear power plant to the Russian energy system. This is a very dangerous plan.

VOA: How is Zaporizhzhia NPP managed now?

The nuclear power plant is under the control of the National Nuclear Energy Generating Company of Ukraine [NNEGU], and we receive our salaries in Ukrainian hryvnias, which are credited to our bank cards.

So far, the Russians have not touched the management of the nuclear power plant, although I think it will happen soon. The pressure is getting stronger. Representatives of Rosatom [Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation] have arrived here several times.

They say that soon, we will be fully subordinated to Rosatom. We will work for the Russian energy system, and we will be paid in Russian rubles.

We are told that those who oppose it will have to leave their jobs. Since the occupation began, quite a few have left. However, for the safe operation of the station, operational personnel are in place and continue to work on a full-time basis. What will happen if we are disconnected from the energy system of Ukraine, it is very difficult to say. I hope it will not happen.

VOA: What is the situation in the city of Enerhodar?

In Enerhodar, the situation is relatively calm, if the occupation can be called peaceful. Artillery bombardment occurs periodically. There are still shots, according to the sounds. I think that the Russians are bombarding the cities of Nikopol and Manganets on the other side of the Dnieper River from our side, that is, from the Kakhovka Reservoir.

Enerhodar is run by the Russian military administration. Freedom of speech and expression [have] been destroyed. Ukrainian TV channels and the internet have been shut down. Since July 13, Russian internet Miranda has been turned on from Crimea. From August 1, Ukrainian mail also went out. Ukrainian banks have also left. Everyone’s salary and pension are paid in hryvnias to their cards. Both Ukrainian hryvnias and Russian rubles are in circulation here in shops and markets.

From September, the Russians are going to start teaching in the Russian language in schools, although a large part of the teachers have left, and I don’t know how they will do it. They have completely destroyed the education system. They are distributing Russian passports. This process is also going badly. It did not go past a few dozen grandparents. They were unable to raise the issue of the so-called “Republic of Zaporizhzhia referendum” yet. They have no real support.

Despite the war, we have not yet experienced a shortage of produce or medicine in the city, although the prices of everything have risen catastrophically. Supplies are made from Crimea and Russia, as well as from Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro and Kharkiv. This logistics is still working.

Some of the people left the city. They are still leaving. There are people left with families who have been working at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant for years. I personally do not know where to go if the situation becomes more complicated.

VOA: It was reported that the Russians have agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Agency experts to visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. What can they change?

The International Atomic Energy Agency has been conducting periodic inspections here, and now after the inspection, it will make a conclusion as to whether the safety standards are observed in the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant or whether there is a danger of an accident or radiation leakage.

The expectation is that after the agency’s conclusion, international pressure on Moscow will intensify, and Russia will be required to withdraw heavy weapons and troops from the nuclear power plant. I think this is unrealistic. The Russians will not leave here by their own will. Without a war, it is impossible.

People here are also very dissatisfied with the Ukrainian government and demand an answer from Zelenskyy. We surrendered the entire south practically without a fight. We have known for years that Crimea was annexed, and everyone was expecting an attack from there.

At this time, the Russians entered Kherson, Melitopol — here, too, practically — without serious military resistance. At least they should have it in order not to enter the Zaporizhzhia region. To this day, I do not believe what happened. How could [the] Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant be given to Russia? Life under occupation is terrible.
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Sweden’s immigration policies are a big factor heading into elections next month on September 11th, when Swedes head to the polls to pick a new parliament, perhaps resulting in a new prime minister. The hard right Sweden Democrats party admits to having a neo-Nazi past and polls just ahead of the election show the party gaining political ground. Some observers say public concerns about Sweden’s immigration policies could mean a previously unthinkable coalition between the far right and moderate forces is on the verge of forming.

Erik Hedtjärn is a political editor at Stockholm’s Svenska Dagbladet newspaper. He tells VOA that a new political landscape is taking shape in Sweden ahead of the upcoming election and it’s unclear which coalition will take power. The Sweden Democrats, a populist party with ties to right wing extremism in the 1990s, gained parliamentary seats in the 2010 election. It appears to be growing further in popularity, according to polls, and could result in an unlikely coalition.

“A number of parties in Sweden still says that it’s actually unthinkable to cooperate or form an alliance with the Sweden Democrats because of their past. Another way of looking at it is we’ve made some polls where we’ve asked: Which party could you accept as part of the government? Interestingly enough. Sweden Democrats. More people can accept them as part of the government than the Green Party,” he said.

Hedtjärn says the Liberals/Moderates and other centrists to the right are likely to join forces with the Sweden Democrats party.

“So, we have two new coalitions that are the main alternatives in this election which makes it different in many ways. One of the interesting things now is that those coalitions joined a wide-range of parties. On the left, you have the left, far-left and centrists. The other side you have the Liberals party and the Sweden Democrats. Two kind of disparate coalitions which have in themselves a lot of tensions. It’s not really clear how a government would function that emanates from such a wide coalition,” he said. 

Part of the Sweden Democrats’ appeal, observers say, plays on people’s fears about migration. Sweden took in the largest number of refugees per capita in the 2015 wave that hit Europe. Unlike the United States, there are no background checks on arrivals.

However, other Swedes find a Sweden Democrats’ campaign ad abhorrent. Posting a picture of a train car with the party logo, spokesman Tobias Andersson, tweeted: 

“Welcome to the repatriation train. You have a one-way ticket. Next stop, Kabul.”  Observers say Afghans are unfairly targeted, especially given the Taliban takeover last year, where ethnic and religious minorities could face death, if returned.

Swedish economist and blogger Julia Wiklander of Girls’ Globe and others warn that giving wider political berth to the Sweden Democrats undermines cherished values fundamental in Swedish society, like providing safety to people escaping conflict.

“Sweden has a reputation of being a leader for human rights globally, a leader in terms of our responsibility, our engagement with issues around the world. But a lot of things in the past decade have either stood still in Sweden or have really stagnated. A lot of issues are also at risk. At the same time, a lot of people still look up to Sweden. When we don’t reflect on history, and we don’t reflect on where Sweden is actually failing to stand up for human rights, we risk losing them,” said Wiklander.

The “whole political debate has shifted from human rights and environment issues, now with a strong polarization” on each side of the political spectrum gaining ground in communities and families, Wiklander says, adding that in her view, the rhetoric is growing “very charged and worrying.”
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Bulgaria’s interior ministry and local police say two police officers were killed Thursday when a bus carrying at least 47 migrants that had entered the country illegally rammed their vehicle as they tried to stop it.

Police say the incident occurred about 5 a.m. local time in Burgas, a port city on the Black Sea. Burgas Police Chief Kaloyan Kaloyanov told reporters at the scene that police had tried to pull over the bus after it drove through two border checkpoints.

The chief said the bus had entered a residential area when police officers stopped their car in its path to block it. The bus allegedly rammed the police vehicle and drove over the top of it before smashing into a bus stop. Two officers inside the car were killed instantly.

No other injuries were reported and an investigation into the case has been launched.

Police said the migrants on the bus were from Syria.

It is unclear what charges may be filed, but local prosecutor Georgi Chinev called the ramming of the police car a “conscious, purposeful, intentional act.”

The news website BalkanInsight reports five people were arrested at the scene on human trafficking charges.

On Twitter, BNN Bulgaria — an affiliate of Bloomberg news — reports citing local police that the bus was a deregistered vehicle that had been sold for scrap with phony license plates.

Bulgarian media reports there was a similar incident Sunday in the western Bulgarian town of Godech. In that case, a bus carrying illegal migrants crashed into a tree, killing the driver.

Bulgaria, a Balkan country of 7 million people, is located on a major route for migrants from the Middle East and Afghanistan to Europe.

Some information for this report came from the Associated Press.
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Twelve thousand people in five months — that’s how many older adults received support from a Kyiv charity called “Onuky”, or “grandchildren” in Ukrainian. Anna Kosstutschenko spoke with the group’s volunteers about their work. VOA footage and video editing by Paviel Syhodolskiy.
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Finland’s prime minister, Sanna Marin, has addressed a video posted on social media last week showing her dancing with a group of friends and celebrities.

The video of the 36-year-old, taken at a party that included Finnish celebrities, was soon published by several Finnish media outlets and spread internationally.

Shortly after the video leaked, pictures emerged of a private party at the prime minister’s official residence in Helsinki showing two well-known female social media “influencers” kissing each other, covering their bare breasts with a sign that read “Finland.”

Tuesday the prime minister publicly apologized for the pictures. She had also earlier agreed to take a drug test, which came back negative on Monday.

Addressing a gathering of her Social Democrat party in Helsinki’s Lahti Market Square Wednesday, Marin said it had been a difficult week for her, but added, “I am human, and I too sometimes long for joy, light and fun amidst these dark clouds.” She said sometimes that involves pictures and videos and other things the public might not want to see and she might not want them to see.

But she was quick to add, “I have not missed a single day of work. I have not left a single task undone.”

The prime minister received the support of her party and remains popular with the public, though in the days since the video was released, there has been a debate in the media about how the prime minister’s leisure activities might affect her job performance.

Some information for this report was provided by the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
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The US is sending a new tranche of military assistance to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s invading force, a package valued at $3 billion dollars. This aid comes on top of the more than $10 billion in military assistance the U.S. has already sent to Ukraine in the past year and a half. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb has the details.
Video Editor: Kimberlyn Weeks
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The White House announced its largest-ever security assistance package for Ukraine on Wednesday — six months to the day since Russia invaded — with a $3 billion commitment that brings the U.S. price tag for this 184-day conflict to $13.6 billion.

Unlike previous aid packages that addressed immediate military needs, this new package focuses on medium- and long-term military assistance that will take months or even years to land.

“This is a long-term commitment to Ukraine to continue to fight for their freedom, and bravely, as they have been doing for the past six months,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

She added that President Joe Biden will speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday. When asked if or when Biden might visit Zelenskyy in Kyiv, John Kirby, the National Security Council’s coordinator of strategic communications, told reporters there currently are no plans for such a trip.

In late June at a NATO summit, Biden said U.S. support for Ukraine would continue “as long as it takes.” On Wednesday, the White House said that remains true.

“President Biden has been clear that we will continue to hold Russia accountable and support Ukraine for as long as it takes,” Kirby said Wednesday. “… And we’re going to continue to rally the free world, galvanize allies and partners to support Ukraine as they again defend their sovereignty against this further invasion by Russia.”

The Pentagon emphasized this large new commitment doesn’t presuppose an outcome to the grueling conflict, which technically started in 2014 with Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

“This type of package does not presume any particular outcome of a conflict in Ukraine,” Colin Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy, told reporters on Wednesday. ”So, for example, if the war continues for years, this package is relevant. If there is a cease-fire or a peace settlement, this package is still relevant, because Ukraine needs the ability to defend itself and deter future aggression.

There are signs that European interest in funding Ukraine has waned, with European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warning the continent in July against what he called “democratic fatigue” that Russia would try to exploit.

That does not seem to be the case in the U.S., where large aid packages have sailed almost effortlessly through Congress, and where a July poll saw seven out of 10 Americans support continued assistance.

But Elias Yousif, a research analyst with the Stimson Center’s Conventional Defense Program, said the administration has an obligation to continue to sell this expenditure to American taxpayers.

“It really is incumbent upon the administration to make the case to the American people as to why this investment is important,” he said via Zoom. “You know, the United States is clearly spending a great amount of time and effort on this problem. And it’ll be very important for government officials and for public policy to be pitching to the American people why this is more than just about Ukraine, why this speaks to their interests and to a certain vision for the world, and a certain world order that has their best interest at heart.”

More bullets than Ukrainians

In the last six months alone, the U.S. has doled out nearly $10 billion worth of support, comprising thousands of anti-missile and anti-armor systems, hundreds of vehicles, and nearly 60 million rounds of small-arms ammunition — more bullets, in fact, than there are Ukrainians.

“I absolutely think that it’s been worth it,” Ivana Stradner, an analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, told VOA via Zoom. “This war is also our war. So, it is in American interest to help Ukraine to win as fast as possible so we actually do not allow [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to wage this war in the way that he wants, and to put him actually on defense, rather than to allow Russia to dictate how long this war is going to last.”

But Yousif also warned the administration to be vigilant about where this assistance ends up.

“One of the main risks that we are all looking at is the risk of diversion of military hardware onto the black market,” he said. “This is something that we’ve seen time and time again from U.S. military aid programs, especially the very large ones. The United States, unfortunately, has a history of losing track of some of the arms that it provides in these large-scale military aid efforts, whether that’s been in Iraq or Afghanistan.

“And Ukraine also has a history of being a nexus of the illicit arms market — really, since the end of the Cold War. So, taken all together, the potential for losing some of these arms or having them leak into the black market could be quite high,” Yousif said.

Uncertain end, but certain determination

Now, six months and $13.6 billion later, how does this end? While no one knows the answer, the Biden administration has been clear on who holds the key to ending the war.

“It could end now,” Kirby said, “if President Putin did the right thing and pulled his troops out of Ukraine. There’s no reason for them to be there in the first place. … Sadly, we haven’t seen any indications by the Russian side that they’re willing to do that — quite the contrary.”

Zelenskyy, for his part, approached the six-month mark — which this year happened to fall on the day Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union 31 years ago — with determination and a hint of optimism.

“For 180 days, almost six months, the absolute majority of our people have no doubts that we will achieve the victory of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. “We are united. We are more confident now in ourselves than we have been in many decades.”

VOA’s Carla Babb contributed to this report.
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Russian forces Wednesday launched a rocket attack on a Ukrainian train station on the embattled country’s Independence Day, killing 22 people, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after warning for days that Moscow might attempt “something particularly cruel” this week. 

The lethal attack took place in Chaplyne, a town of about 3,500 people in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukrainian news agencies quoted Zelenskyy as telling the U.N. Security Council via video. The president’s office also reported that an 11-year-old child was killed by rocket fire earlier in the day in the settlement. 

“Chaplyne is our pain today,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address to the nation. 

At one point, Zelenskyy put the number of wounded at about 50. The deputy head of Zelenskyy’s office later said 22 people were wounded in the attack, which hit five passenger rail cars. 

Ukraine had been bracing for especially heavy attacks around the national holiday that commemorates Ukraine’s declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Wednesday also marked the six-month point in the war. 

Days ahead of Independence Day, Kyiv authorities banned large gatherings in the capital through Thursday for fear of missile strikes. 

Residents of Kyiv, which has been largely spared in recent months, woke up Wednesday to air raid sirens, but no immediate strikes followed. As the day wore on, Russian bombardments were reported in the country’s east, west and center, with the most serious attack apparently at the train station. 

Outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson marked the holiday with a visit to Kyiv — his third since the war broke out — and other European leaders used the occasion to pledge unwavering support for Ukraine, locked in a battle that was widely expected to be a lightning conquest by Moscow but has turned into a grinding war of attrition. U.S. President Joe Biden announced a new military aid package of nearly $3 billion to help Ukrainian forces fight for years to come. 

Over the weekend, Zelenskyy cautioned that Russia “may try to do something particularly nasty, something particularly cruel” this week. He repeated the warnings ahead of the train station attack, saying, “Russian provocations and brutal strikes are a possibility.” 

Nevertheless, a festive atmosphere prevailed during the day at Kyiv’s Maidan square as thousands of residents posed for pictures next to burned-out Russian tanks put on display. Folk singers set up, and many revelers — ignoring the sirens — were out and about in traditionally embroidered dresses and shirts. 

Others were fearful. 

“I can’t sleep at night because of what I see and hear about what is being done in Ukraine,” said a retiree who gave only her first name, Tetyana, her voice shaking with emotion. “This is not a war. It is the destruction of the Ukrainian people.” 

In a holiday message to the country, Zelenskyy exulted over Ukraine’s success in fending off Moscow’s forces since the invasion, saying: “On February 24, we were told: You have no chance. On August 24, we say: Happy Independence Day, Ukraine!” 

Britain’s Johnson urged Western allies to stand by Ukraine through the winter. 

“This is not the time to put forward flimsy negotiating proposals,” he said. “You can’t negotiate with a bear when it’s eating your leg or with a street robber when he has you pinned to the floor.” 

A car bombing outside Moscow that killed the 29-year-old daughter of right-wing Russian political theorist Alexander Dugin on Saturday also heightened fears that Russia might intensify attacks on Ukraine this week. Russian officials have blamed Ukraine for the death of Darya Dugina, a pro-Kremlin TV commentator. Ukraine has denied any involvement. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces have encountered unexpectedly stiff Ukrainian resistance in their invasion and abandoned their effort to storm the capital in the spring. The fighting has turned into a slog that has reduced neighborhoods to rubble and sent shock waves through the world economy. 

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, speaking Wednesday at a meeting of his counterparts from a security organization dominated by Russia and China, claimed the slow pace of Moscow’s military action was due to what he said was an effort to spare civilians. 

Russian forces have repeatedly targeted civilian areas in cities, including hospitals and a Mariupol theater where hundreds of people were taking shelter. 

But Shoigu said Russia is carrying out strikes with precision weapons against Ukrainian military targets, and “everything is done to avoid civilian casualties.” 

“Undoubtedly, it slows down the pace of the offensive, but we do it deliberately,” he said. 

On the battlefield, Russian forces struck several towns and villages in Donetsk province in the east over 24 hours, killing one person, authorities said. A building materials superstore in the city of Donetsk was hit by a shell and erupted in flames, the mayor said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. 

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, the Russians again shelled the cities of Nikopol and Marhanets, damaging several buildings and wounding people, authorities said. Russian troops also shelled the city of Zaporizhzhia, but no casualties were reported. 

In addition, Russian rockets struck unspecified targets in the Khmelnytskyi region, about 300 kilometers west of Kyiv, the regional governor said. Attacks there have been infrequent.
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As Ukraine marks the six-month anniversary of Russia’s invasion, VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports on the fallout from the conflict. Millions of refugees have fled the country, food exports have plummeted and the United Nations is warning that the world faces “maximum danger” over the situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant.
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The number of coronavirus deaths reported worldwide fell by 15% in the past week while new infections dropped by 9%, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.

In its latest weekly assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.N. health agency said there were 5.3 million new cases and more than 14,000 deaths reported last week. WHO said the number of new infections declined in every world region except the Western Pacific.

Deaths jumped by more than 183% in Africa but fell by nearly a third in Europe and by 15% in the Americas. Still, WHO warned that COVID-19 numbers are likely severely underestimated as many countries have dropped their testing and surveillance protocols to monitor the virus, meaning that there are far fewer cases being detected.

WHO said the predominant COVID-19 variant worldwide is omicron subvariant BA.5, which accounts for more than 70% of virus sequences shared with the world’s biggest public viral database. Omicron variants account for 99% of all sequences reported in the last month.

Earlier this week, Pfizer asked U.S. regulators to authorize its combination COVID-19 vaccine that adds protection against the newest omicron relatives, BA.4 and BA.5, a key step towards opening a fall booster campaign.

The Food and Drug Administration had ordered vaccine makers to tweak their shots to target BA.4 and BA.5, which are better than ever at dodging immunity from earlier vaccination or infection.

Meanwhile, in the U.K., regulators authorized a version of Moderna’s updated COVID-19 vaccine last week that includes protection against the earlier omicron subvariant BA.1. British officials will offer it to people aged 50 and over beginning next month.

In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Cabinet approved legislation Wednesday that ensures basic protective measures against the coronavirus pandemic are continued during the fall and winter, when more virus cases are expected.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, millions of students wearing face masks streamed back to primary and secondary schools across the country on Monday for their first in-person classes after two years of coronavirus lockdowns.

Officials had grappled with daunting problems, including classroom shortages, lingering COVID-19 fears, an approaching storm and quake-damaged school buildings in the country’s north, to welcome back nearly 28 million students who enrolled for the school year.
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