Russia has claimed that its troops repelled a bid by Ukrainian forces to retake the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Pro-Russian forces said the Ukrainian special forces came in 30 landing boats.
"Last night, a large group of landing boats, crowded with militants of special operations forces, left the southern region of the city of Zaporozhiya and other directions. A large loaded ship also went with them. The attempted landing was repulsed," Vladimir Rogov, one of the Russian-installed leaders in Zaporizhzhia, was quoted by Russian state-owned RIA Novosti.
Rogov added that the landing attempt was thwarted and the situation was under control, and there were no plans to evacuate Enerhodar, the settlement attached to the ZNPP.
Zaporizhzhia NPP is located on the left bank of the Dnieper near Energodar and has been under the control of Russian troops since March.
Recently, reports of frequent shelling near the plant emerged. Both Ukraine and Russia accused each other of firing on the power plant and risking a nuclear accident. This comes as bids by the West and the UN to have the area declared a demilitarised zone have failed.
Meanwhile, amid the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russia has called for the evacuation of more civilians while terming the situation at Kherson as "very difficult."
In what many consider a rare admission, the commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, General Sergei Surovikin, said Ukrainian troops were hitting Kherson's infrastructure using Himars. "The Russian army will above all ensure the safe evacuation of the population of Kherson," Surovikin told a Russian media house.
"As a whole, the situation in the special military operation zone can be described as tense," Gen Surovikin added. His statements come as reports claim Ukrainian forces have been reclaiming the territory as far as (19 miles) south along the Dnieper, threatening to trap Russian troops.
Besides Surovikin, other Kremlin officials, like Russian-installed regional official Kirill Stremousov, too warned Kherson residents about the impending Ukrainian assault on the city.
"Please take my words seriously - I'm talking about evacuating as quickly as possible," he said on the Telegram messaging service. He added that the people on the River Dnieper's west bank (called Dnipro in Ukraine) were most at risk. Kherson's governor Vladimir Saldo too attested to the fact.
Kherson was the first big city to fall to the Russians just after the war began in February.
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