August 31, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

Our live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine has moved here.

The US believes that Russia is facing “severe” shortages of military personnel in Ukraine and is seeking new ways to beef up its troop levels, two US officials told CNN.

The latest US assessment is based on downgraded intelligence and confirmed to CNN by two US officials. It is the latest effort by the Biden administration to downgrade and publicly release intelligence findings about Russia’s war effort.

The officials also said that the US has “credible reporting” that Russia’s Defense Ministry is “likely to begin” recruiting convicted criminals in Ukraine “in exchange for pardons and financial compensation.”

As with previous releases of downgraded intelligence, the officials did not provide additional details about the intelligence behind these assessments.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last week ordered the military to increase the number of troops by 137,000, though it was not clear how the Russian Defense Ministry intended to reach that target.

The Pentagon estimated earlier this month that as many as 80,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded during the war in Ukraine.

A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — the UN nuclear watchdog — is in Zaporizhzhia and are expected to visit the nuclear power plant on Thursday. It comes as fighting continues around the plant,  with both the Ukrainians and Russians have accused each other of shelling it.

Ukraine and countries around the world want the IAEA to be able to safely assess the facility, which is occupied by Russian forces, to avoid a nuclear incident.

Here’s what else to know today:

Ukrainian Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko talks to media on July 26 in Brussels, Belgium. 

The Ukrainian Energy Minister, Herman Halushchenko, says he hopes that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant goes beyond the technical and examines the security threats at the plant.

The nuclear plant — the largest in Europe — is occupied by Russian forces but operated largely by Ukrainian technicians.

He said IAEA specialists are “really professionals” and that he hopes no pressure or manipulation from Russian soldiers affect their work.

Halushchenko reiterated that in the Ukrainian view, the key results of the mission should be deocupation of the power plant, to return it to full Ukrainian control, and to demilitarize the area around the plant.

Russian on Wednesday warned the European Union of consequences over the bloc moving to fully suspend the visa facilitation agreement between the European Union and Russia, according to state news agency RIA Novosti.  

“Violation, circumvention or withdrawal by the EU from the visa facilitation agreement with Russia won’t be left without consequences. We will decide for ourselves whether the measures will be symmetrical, asymmetric or something that the EU does not expect,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told the news agency.

Following a two day informal meeting in Prague, EU’s foreign ministers on Wednesday reached political consensus to fully suspend the visa facilitation agreement between the European Union and Russia. 

EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the decision “will significantly reduce the number of new visas issued by the EU member states” given that the process would become more difficult and take longer. 

Visas were already restricted to some categories of Russian nationals. Borrell said that this is not a legal text but only a political agreement at this point.  

Ukrainian soldiers stand on a tank at the front line in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on August 19.

In the buildup to the current Ukrainian counteroffensive, the US urged Kyiv to the keep the operation limited in both its objectives and its geography to avoid getting overextended and bogged down on multiple fronts, multiple US and western officials and Ukrainian sources tell CNN.

Those discussions involved engaging in “war-gaming” with Kyiv, the sources said — analytical exercises that were intended to help the Ukrainian forces understand what force levels they would need to muster to be successful in different scenarios.

The Ukrainians were initially considering a broader counteroffensive, but narrowed their mission to the south, in the Kherson region, in recent weeks, US and Ukrainian officials said.

Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told CNN that “the United States has routine military-to-military dialogue at multiple levels with Ukraine. We will not comment on the specifics of those engagements. Generally speaking, we provide the Ukrainians with information to help them better understand the threats they face and defend their country against Russian aggression. Ultimately, the Ukrainians are making the final decisions for their operations.”

Officials say they believe there is now increased parity between the Ukrainian and Russian militaries. But western officials have been hesitant to label the nascent Ukrainian operation — which appeared to begin on Monday in the southern province of Kherson — a true “counteroffensive.”

How successful Ukraine is likely to be in regaining lost territory remains an open question, sources familiar with the latest intelligence tell CNN. Ukrainian officials have already said this offensive will likely be a slow operation, and punishingly cold winter weather is coming and then an early spring mud, both of which could force pauses in the fighting.

Read more here.

Ukraine’s defense ministry has appealed to informants in Crimea to relay details of the movements of Russian forces.

The Defense Intelligence Unit said on its Telegram channel that it wanted residents of Crimea to provide “the exact location of the deployment points and residential addresses of the occupying forces (preferred geo-referencing with coordinates)” as well as details of where senior officers lived. 

It also asked people to provide the “locations and routes of movement of military equipment” and “accurate data of local collaborators who switched to the side of the enemy.”

Ukraine has not acknowledged any attacks on Russian military locations and equipment in Crimea.

There are multiple reports of heavy explosions in the Nova Kakhovka area of the Ukrainian region of Kherson in the south. 

The town, which is occupied by Russian forces, is strategically placed on river Dnipro, with a bridge that has been repeatedly attacked by Ukrainian forces.

In the last few weeks, ammunition depots in the area have also been struck.

Local social media accounts speak of air strikes and a large fire in the vicinity of a furniture factory.

There are also reports of fresh explosions near the main Antonivskiy bridge across the Dnipro south of Kherson city, as well as explosions in the nearby Oleshkiy area.

There has been no official comment from either side on the reports.

The reports come days after Ukraine announced a new offensive in the south aimed at dislodging Russian forces in Kherson. 

A Dutch passport control for truck drivers on January 4, 2021.

Divisions within the European Union remain following today’s informal EU foreign ministers meeting held in Prague.

While the ministers reached a political agreement to fully suspend EU’s visa facilitation agreement with Russia, the bloc remains split when it comes to an outright visa ban.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Wednesday that several member states, including his country, “have raised their voice” against an EU blanket visa ban.

In a statement released after the meeting, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said that he supported ending the EU’s visa facilitation agreement with Russia but that “this alone would not be enough,” adding that Estonia and other neighboring countries that share a border with Russia and Belarus would consider a national visa ban.

“At the informal meeting, the foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland issued a joint statement on the substantial increase in Russian citizens entering the European Union and the Schengen area and the security threat it poses,” the statement added.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told journalists that the EU today took a step “in the right direction,” according to Finnish public broadcaster YLE.

“A common approach will prevent a potential visa shopping by Russians going here and there trying to look for the better conditions,” EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a news conference following the meeting.

Visas were already restricted to some categories of Russian nationals. Borrell said that this is not a legal text but only a political agreement at this point. 

National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby answers questions during a briefing at the White House on August 4, in Washington, DC.

John Kirby, the United States’ National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, said Wednesday to expect another announcement of military aid for Ukraine in the coming days.

US aid provided so far: This would come after US President Joe Biden announced $2.98 billion in military assistance for Ukraine last Wednesday. The US has provided approximately $13 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began Feb. 24, a National Security Council official told CNN.

Since the beginning of the war, the US has provided $7 billion in grants for direct budget support and over $1.5 billion of humanitarian aid for Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees, the official said. 

Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said that his team’s mission to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is “not risk-free” but has to be carried out.

Speaking to journalists in the city of Zaporizhzhia, which is in Ukrainian-held territory, Grossi said that visiting the plant was something “we need to do.”

He said the visit would be carried out under the auspices of the safeguards agreement that the IAEA had with the Ukrainian government. 

Grossi said he had brought an experienced team — the “best and brightest,” as he called them — “and we will have a pretty good idea of what’s going on” at the plant.

He said the mission would take a few days, but spoke of the possibility of a permanent or continuing IAEA presence at the plant, Europe’s biggest nuclear power complex.

Grossi said his team’s mission was a technical one that seeks to avoid a nuclear accident and required the political will of both sides in the conflict.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, center, speaks with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky and German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock during a meeting in Prague, Czech Republic on August 31.

Following a two-day informal meeting in Prague, the European foreign ministers have reached political consensus to fully suspend the visa facilitation agreement between the European Union and Russia.

The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said in a news conference following the meeting that this decision “will significantly reduce the number of new visas issued by the EU member states” given that the process would become more difficult and take longer.

Visas were already restricted to some categories of Russian nationals. Borrell said that this is not a legal text but only a political agreement at this point. 

The agreement will have to be approved by all member states at an European Council level.

Borrell said that since mid-July, there has been a “substantial increase on border crossings from Russia in neighboring states,” which has become “a security risk for these states.”

“It cannot be business as usual,” he added.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have had “successes” in fighting in three areas of Kherson, according to Yurii Sobolevskyi, deputy head of the regional council. 

Sobolevskyi told Ukrainian television that the successful operations were in the cities of Kherson, Beryslav and Kakhovka. He did not provide further details. 

A report released by the UK’s Ministry of Defence on Wednesday said Ukrainian forces had pushed Russian forces back “some distance in places” in the south. 

“Ukrainian armoured forces have continued to assault Russia’s Southern Grouping of Forces on several axes across the south of the country since Monday,” according to the report. “Ukrainian formations have pushed the front line back some distance in places, exploiting relatively thinly held Russian defences.” 

What Russia says: A post on the Russian defense ministry’s Telegram channel on Wednesday claimed that Ukrainian attempts to “resume offensive operations” in areas of southern Ukraine had failed. The ministry said Russian forces inflicted heavy losses of equipment and personnel. 

Here’s a look at the areas claimed as part of the Ukrainian counteroffensive:

People purchase goods at a supermarket in Reading, Britain on August 21.

The price of food in the United Kingdom has increased at the “highest inflation rate since August 2008” as the country feels the impact of the war in Ukraine, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and NielsenIQ index.

Overall “food inflation accelerated strongly to 9.3% in August, up from 7.0% in July,” which is “the highest inflation rate since August 2008” the report released Wednesday stated.

“Mounting cost pressures up and down supply chains meant shop price inflation hit a new high in August. The war in Ukraine, and consequent rise in the price of animal feed, fertilizer, wheat and vegetable oils continued to push up food prices,” BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson said.

“Fresh food inflation in particular, surged to its highest level since 2008, and products such as milk, margarine and crisps saw the biggest rises,” Dickinson added.

Fresh food is now up to 10.5% from 8.0% in July.

“The rise in shop prices is playing into wider UK inflation, which some analysts are predicting could top 18% in 2023. The situation is bleak for both consumers and retailers,” Dickinson added.

Inspectors from the UN’s nuclear watchdog will visit the Zaporizhzhia power plant for “a few days,” the head of the delegation told reporters on Wednesday. 

Grossi described his team as being on a “technical mission” that “seeks to prevent a nuclear accident.”

Earlier Wednesday, the head of the Russian-appointed local administration told news agency Interfax that the team is expected to “see the work of the station in one day.”

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi speaks to media in Kyiv, Ukraine on August 31.

The International Atomic Energy Agency plans to establish a permanent presence at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Director General Rafael Grossi told journalists in Kyiv early Wednesday.

He made the comments before 14 members of his team left for the city of Zaporizhzhia. They have now arrived and are expected to try to visit the plant tomorrow.

Asked whether it was his plan to establish a permanent mission there, Grossi said, “Yes, we are going to do exactly that.” 

It is not clear under what conditions the IAEA would leave its personnel at the facility, which is occupied by Russian forces. Both the Ukrainians and Russians have accused each other of shelling it. CNN is unable to verify who is responsible. 

What Russia is saying: A top Russian diplomat said Moscow “welcomes” the plan to leave a presence at the plant. 

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s representative to international organizations in Vienna, wrote on Telegram: “The IAEA Director General Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi confirmed today his plans to establish permanent presence of Agency’s specialists at the ZNPP [Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant]. Russia welcomes this intention.” 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi in Kyiv, Ukraine on August 30.

If you’re just joining us, here’s what you need to know about Wednesday’s developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Zelensky to Russia: “Run away or surrender”

As Ukraine’s southern counteroffensive continues, President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke Tuesday of the military’s efforts to take the battle to Russian forces and said the occupiers “can do only two things: run away or surrender.” Few details have emerged about the counteroffensive’s goals and timeline, nor about Ukrainian advances in the Kherson region.

Iran’s involvement

The US believes Russia has received unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Iran and “intends to use these Iranian UAVs, which can conduct air to surface attacks, electronic warfare, and targeting on the battlefield in Ukraine, a State Department official confirmed.

UN nuclear inspectors head to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency have arrived in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia ahead of their planned visit to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, according to IAEA spokesperson Fredrik Dahl. The team will likely stay overnight in the city before visiting the nuclear power plant on Thursday, according to a report from Reuters earlier Wednesday. The team is expected to “see the work of the station in one day,” the head of the Russian-appointed local administration told news agency Interfax.

A historic Soviet figure died

Mikhail Gorbachev — the last leader of the former Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991 — has died at the age of 91 after a long illness, Russian state news agencies reported. He is credited with introducing key political and economic reforms to the USSR and helping to end the Cold War.

Russian gas flow to Europe was halted again

Gas flow from Nord Stream 1, the largest pipeline bringing Russian natural gas supplies to Europe via Germany, dropped to zero on Wednesday morning, according to operator data, as part of a scheduled halt announced last week. This fuels existing concerns that Russia is deliberately cutting off supplies of its gas to Europe, in retaliation for Western sanctions over its war in Ukraine — an allegation Moscow denies. 

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency have arrived in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia ahead of their planned visit to Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, according to IAEA spokesperson Fredrik Dahl. 

The IAEA delegation is likely to stay in the regional capital overnight before attempting to visit the facility in the city of Enerhodar on Thursday, Reuters reports.

European Union foreign ministers will have to reach an agreement on the issue of the Russian tourist visa when they meet in Prague today, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.

Speaking ahead of an informal meeting of the EU foreign ministers on Wednesday, Borrell said the issue of a visa ban was “the most important, concrete topic on the table.”

“It has been quietly discussed during this week,” he said, but he added that there are different positions on the issue among member states.

One proposal put forward by Eastern European countries is to ban Russian tourists from entering the EU. But reaching a consensus among the 27 EU countries may be difficult.

In a memo circulated ahead of the meeting written by France and Germany, Paris and Berlin urged for a more cautious approach against far-reaching changes to the EU’s visa policy “in order to prevent feeding the Russian narrative and trigger unintended rallying-around the flag effects and/or estranging future generations.”

Adding that the EU’s visa policies, “should reflect that and continue to allow for people to people contacts in the EU with Russian nationals not linked to the Russian government.”

More on today’s meeting: The EU is expected to discuss different ways to deal with this issue from a suspension of its visa agreement with Russia — which would make traveling to the EU more expensive and complicated for Russian nationals — to an outright travel ban.

Today’s meeting is informal, and any agreement would need to be approved at an EU Council or EU ambassador level.

Borrell noted that today there will be “just discussion, no decisions.”

In a tweet on Wednesday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he had met with Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra in Prague and thanked him “for the principled stance on the need to restrict travel of Russians to the EU.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) delegation that is set to inspect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant will likely stay overnight in the Ukrainian-controlled regional capital before visiting the nuclear power plant on Thursday, according to a report from Reuters.

Reuters says it has its own journalist traveling in a convoy with the UN nuclear watchdog’s team.

Remember: The city of Zaporizhzhia is controlled by Ukraine, while the nuclear power plant is on territory in the wider region that is occupied by Russia. 

A Russian-appointed official in the Zaporizhzhia region claimed the IAEA experts will “stand in line” with any civilians trying to enter the occupied areas on Thursday.

“This is due to the fact that they will not be given special passes,” Vladimir Rogov, a member of the military-civilian administration, wrote in a post on his Telegram channel.