The IAEA said it had been informed by Ukraine that Russia had handed over control of the nuclear power plant and was ‘moving troops’.
- US says Russian President Vladimir Putin’s need The fact that foreign buyers pay for Russian gas in rubles is a sign of “desperation”.
- US President Joe Biden says he is skeptical that Russian troops are withdrawing from Kyiv.
- Washington has announced plans to release an “unprecedented” amount of oil from strategic petroleum reserve.
- Italy and Germany say they agree on the importance of sanctions against Russia.
- Ukraine says there are “no more outsiders” at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Here are all the latest updates:
Russian troops have left Chernobyl, Ukraine says
Officials in Kyiv say Russian troops have left Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) after weeks of occupation.
“There are no longer any outsiders on the territory of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant,” the Ukrainian state agency in charge of the Chernobyl exclusion zone said on Facebook.
The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, also confirmed that it had received a notification from Ukraine that Russian forces had handed over control of the power plant and that “legions have moved”.
The agency said it would send its “first aid and support mission to Chornobyl NPP in the next few days”.
#Ukraine informed the IAEA today that Russian forces have taken control of #Chornobyl The nuclear power plant since February 24, as of writing, has transferred control of the NPP to Ukrainian personnel and moved the convoys. https://t.co/DkBXEJpDu8 pic.twitter.com/guITblxwXP
– IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency (@iaeaorg) March 31, 2022
Italy and Germany say they agree on the importance of sanctions against Russia
Draghi’s office said that Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed in a phone call on the importance of maintaining sanctions against Russia, which are “proving very effective.” fruit”.
The phone call between the two leaders came after Putin threatened to suspend contracts for a third of Europe’s gas supplies unless they were paid for in Russian currency.
US says Russia’s gas demand is a sign of ‘desperation’
State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demand that foreign buyers pay for Russian gas in rubles is a sign of “desperation” about the economy and finance of the country. Moscow.
European countries, some of which are heavily dependent on Russian gas, have rejected the request, and the German government considers it “extortion”.
“I think this is basically just another sign that the Russian economy is in serious trouble,” Price told reporters at a news conference, adding that countries in Europe determine their response.
The US added entities in Russia, Belarus to the sanctions list
The White House said the US Commerce Department would impose more sanctions in the coming days targeting Russia’s defense, aviation and maritime sectors, adding 120 entities from Russia and Belarus to its blacklist. them, the White House said.
That would bring the number of Russian and Belarusian parties added to the list to more than 200 since the invasion of Ukraine began, spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield said.
US analysts say Ukraine war cannot prevent revival of Iran deal
Opponents of the Iran nuclear deal have added Russia’s participation in talks to reinstate the multilateral pact to their long list of grievances over the deal, as Russian forces continue to attack Ukraine.
However, supporters of the accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), say the conflict in Ukraine should intensify – not bluntly – efforts to restore it.
Welcome to Al Jazeera’s ongoing coverage of the war in Ukraine.
Read all updates from Thursday, March 31 this.
