August 11, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

The United Nations Secretary General said he is “gravely concerned” about the situation at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine,

Reports of "further deeply worrying incidents” in the past few days could “lead to disaster," António Guterres said.

He called for the involved parties to withdraw any military personnel and equipment from the plant “and refrain from any further deployment of forces or equipment to the site.”

“We must be clear that any potential damage to Zaporizhzhia or any other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, or anywhere else, could lead to catastrophic consequences not only for the immediate vicinity, but for the region and beyond,” he added. “This is wholly unacceptable.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday that Germany will continue to provide Ukraine with arms deliveries for its fight against Russia.

"Germany has broken with its tradition and supplied weapons to a war zone," Scholz told journalists at a press conference in Berlin.

"We will continue to do so in the near future," Scholz said, without giving specific details. 

In July, the German government released a list of lethal and non-lethal military aid provided to Ukraine. 

The military equipment sent by Germany to Ukraine to date includes 14,900 anti-tank mines; 500 stinger anti-aircraft missiles; 10 Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers; and 2,700 Strela man-portable air defense systems; as well as anti-drone devices, artillery ammunition, and handguns. 

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Thursday that Denmark will give another 110 million euros ($113.7 million) in financial aid to Ukraine for "weapons, equipment and training."

"I hope that we here today can agree on even more contributions. And of course, Denmark is ready to do our part," Frederiksen said at an international donor conference in Copenhagen.

UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov were present at the conference in Denmark's capital.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also made a virtual appearance to thank the participants.

Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister, Emine Dzheppar, says that authorities in Crimea have arrested several Tatar activists after searching their homes.

"The morning of August 11 in #Crimea started with unlawful searches in the houses of Enver Krosh, Seitiai Abbozov, Edem Bekirov, Murat Mustafaiev, Rinat Aliiev, journalist Vilen Temerianov and his mother," Dzheppar tweeted.

She said three of the activists had been detained and posted several photographs showing security forces carrying out the raids.

"#Russian occupational authorities continue pressure and persecution of #CrimeanTatars as they oppose occupation and support territorial integrity of #Ukraine," Dzheppar added.

The wife of Temerianov said in a Facebook video that three men wearing balaclavas were among those that arrested her husband. They had said that the investigation was to do with criminal extremism, and had asked questions about postcards at the house that were to be sent to Crimean activists in prison.

The Russian-backed authorities in Crimea have not made any comment.

Thousands of Crimean Tatar people began to return to the peninsula in the late 1980s. Some 200,000 Crimean Tatars had been forcibly deported by Stalin in 1944 in what the Ukrainian parliament has recognized as an act of genocide.

The United Kingdom will send send further multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) to Ukraine, according to Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

"Britain will also give a significant number of precision guided M31A1 missiles which can strike targets up to 80km away, enabling Ukraine to continue to defend itself against Russian heavy artillery," the Ministry of Defense announced.

Wallace said in a statement: “This latest tranche of military support will enable the Armed Forces of Ukraine to continue to defend against Russian aggression and the indiscriminate use of long-range artillery. Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against Putin’s invasion.”

Ukrainian troops have been trained in the UK on how to use the launchers.

The Ministry of Defense said other equipment currently being delivered to Ukraine includes more than 20 155 millimeter self-propelled guns; 105 millimeter artillery guns and ammunition; more than 50,000 rounds of ammunition for Ukraine’s Soviet-era artillery; and at least 1,600 more anti-tank weapons.

The UK and other NATO countries are also committed to training up to 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers in infantry skills.

The announcement came as Wallace co-hosts a conference of northern NATO states to discuss further long-term support for Ukraine on training, equipment, and funding.

The Ministry of Defense said the UK and its allies will begin to establish a plan of action to support Ukraine into 2023 and beyond for as long as necessary.

Latvia’s Parliament has declared Russia a “state sponsor of terrorism,” citing attacks on civilians.

“The Saeima adopted a statement on Russia's targeted military attacks against civilians and public areas in Ukraine, recognizing Russia's violence against civilians as terrorism and Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism,” Latvia’s Parliament said in a statement published Thursday. 

Latvian lawmakers also urged EU countries to immediately halt the issue of tourist and entry visas to Russian and Belarusian citizens.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has issued a taunting tweet following Tuesday's explosions at the Saki air base in Crimea.

"Unless they want an unpleasantly hot summer break, we advise our valued Russian guests not to visit Ukrainian Crimea," it said.

"Because no amount of sunscreen will protect them from the hazardous effects of smoking in unauthorized areas."

At least three separate explosions took place at the air base, new video shows.

CNN geolocated and confirmed the authenticity of the video, which began circulating on social media on Tuesday evening. 

The cause of the explosions remains unclear.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense claimed they could not determine the cause, while the Russian Ministry of Defense said that the blasts had been caused by detonated aviation ammunition, without saying how it had been detonated.

The incident killed at least one person, and injured at least nine, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health of Crimea.

An overnight blaze at a Belarusian air base near the Ukrainian border was caused by a piece of equipment catching fire, the Belarus Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement was issued in response to reports of flashes and detonations at Zyabrovka Air Base near the southeastern city of Gomel.

"There are no victims. Personnel took timely respective measures," the statement said.

CNN is unable to verify the Belarusian account. 

Some context: Belarus is one of Russia's closest allies and has played a key role in its invasion of Ukraine. In July, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko accused Ukraine of dragging his country into the war.

Ukraine's military said it carried out six airstrikes against Russian targets in southern Ukraine on Wednesday.

Russian forces were hit in the Beryslav district of Kherson and ammunition depots were destroyed in Bashtanka and Barvinka, officials said. 

Russian command posts, one located in the village of Chervonyi Maisk along the Dnipro River, were also destroyed, they added. 

CNN has been unable to verify the military's claims, which come as Ukrainian forces step up operations in the south of the country.