Smoke reported near Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant cargo port

Smoke was observed in the area of the cargo port at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), Ukraine's Energy Ministry reported on Aug. 12.

The ministry warned that any provocations or military activity in the area could trigger "unpredictable and catastrophic consequences for the entire continent."

Officials are working to determine the exact location and possible consequences of the incident, noting that the port lies outside the plant's protected perimeter.

The ministry condemned Russia's continued deployment of troops and military equipment at the plant, calling it a violation of international law and nuclear safety principles.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said "no radiation increase, no nuclear safety impact (was) reported" in the area.

Located in Enerhodar, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is Europe's largest nuclear facility, producing around 20% of Ukraine's electricity before the full-scale war.

Russia has occupied it since March 2022, prompting repeated safety concerns from the International Atomic Energy Agency over emergency shutdowns, power disruptions, and pressure on Ukrainian staff.

The U.S. has reportedly suggested returning control of the plant to Ukraine before transferring management to American oversight to supply power to both Russian- and Ukrainian-held territories, a proposal Moscow immediately rejected.

Russia claims ownership of the ZNPP based on its illegal annexation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in 2022 and is reportedly building new power lines in occupied southern Ukraine to link the plant to its grid.

Russian forces hold roughly 74% of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts in the southeast, an area of about 41,176 square kilometers, while Ukraine retains control over around 14,500 square kilometers, according to Reuters. Russia controls key cities such as Melitopol, Berdiansk, and Enerhodar, but the oblast's capital city, Zaporizhzhia, remains under Ukrainian government control.

Ukraine says small Russian unit passed defenses near Dobropillia but denies breakthrough claims

The statement comes as the Ukrainian battlefield monitoring group DeepState reported that Russian forces made a push toward the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway in Donetsk Oblast.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova