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No Evidence of Russian Moves to Reactivate Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant, IAEA States

May 30, 2025

According to a representative from the UN nuclear watchdog, there are currently no indications that Russia is getting ready to restart the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. This statement comes after Ukraine raised concerns over reports suggesting Russia intended to connect the facility to its own electrical grid.

Zaporizhzhia, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, remains under Russian control, with all six of its reactors offline amidst ongoing conflict in the area. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has urged for a ceasefire, which could allow for improvements to the water supply and external power necessary for cooling the nuclear fuel.

“We currently see no signs that active preparations for a restart of the facility are in progress,” the IAEA official, who requested to remain unnamed, stated.

On Wednesday, a Ukrainian official reported that Ukraine had lodged a complaint with the IAEA over allegations that Russia is constructing power lines to connect the Zaporizhzhia plant to its electrical grid.

Yuriy Vitrenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to the IAEA, informed the Ukrainian news outlet Ukrinform that Kyiv views any Russian attempts to link the occupied plant to its grid as a severe breach of international law and an infringement on Ukrainian sovereignty.

A report by Greenpeace, referenced by The New York Times on Tuesday, indicated that Russia has been laying more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) of power lines between the occupied Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Berdiansk.

In March, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi mentioned to Reuters that it might be feasible to restart one of the plant’s reactors within months of achieving a lasting ceasefire, which remains hard to attain.

However, such an action would necessitate enhancing the plant’s water and external power supplies. Concerns regarding water availability have arisen since the plant’s primary source, the nearby Kakhovka reservoir, was drained due to the dam explosion in 2023.

This situation prompted the drilling of wells at Zaporizhzhia, providing sufficient water to cool the nuclear fuel while the reactors are offline, but inadequate for operations if the reactors were to be restarted.

“The plant has lost its primary source of cooling water, which prevents the entire system from functioning as originally intended,” stated the IAEA official.

“When the plant is operational, the water consumption is significantly greater compared to when it is in a cold shutdown. We do not foresee any simple or immediate solutions to address this issue,” they noted.

Russian Ruble Dips After EU Unveils New Sanctions on Energy and Banks Текст: The Russian ruble tumbled sharply on Wednesday, erasing part of its recent gains as investors reacted to fresh concerns over Western sanctions and weakening oil export revenues. The dollar surged nearly 3% in a few hours on the Moscow Exchange, climbing from 78.2 rubles in early trading to 80.49 by 1:45 p.m. local time. The euro jumped above 91 rubles, while the Chinese yuan rose almost 2% to 11.04 rubles. By late afternoon, the ruble had regained some ground, with the dollar retreating to 79.65 and the euro to 91.39. The ruble has been one of the world’s best-performing currencies in 2025, gaining roughly 40% since January. But analysts say the sharp pullback may signal a turning point. Its decline on Wednesday “may be tied to discussions in the EU about a new package of sanctions targeting Russian financial institutions and energy exports,” said Natalia Milchakova, a senior analyst at Freedom Finance Global. A proposed 18th round of EU sanctionsintroducedby the European Commission on Tuesday includes plans to disconnect 22 more Russian banks from the SWIFT global payment system, blacklist dozens of tankers involved in circumventing oil trade restrictions and ban transactions with the Nord Stream gas pipelines. The measures would also lower the price cap on Russian crude exports from $60 to $45 per barrel. Under the cap mechanism, oil sold above the limit would be ineligible for Western insurance and transport services — a move aimed at squeezing revenue from Russian energy exports. Experts warn that these measures, if adopted by the United States and G7 allies, could deliver the most serious blow to Russian oil exports since the European embargo imposed in late 2022. Sanctions have already sidelined much of the Kremlin’s “shadow fleet,” and if the price cap is lowered, Greek shipping firms — which have been instrumental in transporting Russian oil — may exit the market altogether, the Moscow-based Institute for Energy and Finance said. As a result, a noticeable reduction in seaborne oil exports from Russia is likely … and the Russian budget may face an even greater reduction in oil revenues in the second half of this year, the IEF wrote. The ruble is also under seasonal pressure, as exporters appear to have slowed their conversion of foreign currency earnings ahead of the Russia Day holiday weekend, Reuters reported. At the same time, Yevgeny Kogan, a Russian investment banker, said demand for foreign currency may have risen ahead of the long weekend. Adding to the pressure is a decline in oil revenues, which remain the backbone of Russia’s export economy. The average price of Urals crude fell to $52 per barrel in May compared to $66 in January, according to the Economic Development Ministry. That figure represents the lowest level in more than two years. Some analysts believe the ruble’s current weakness may be a harbinger of a more prolonged decline. Kogan predicted the currency could continue to weaken in June and July. Sofya Donets, chief economist at T-Investments,saidpressures could intensify into August, potentially pushing the exchange rate beyond 90 rubles to the dollar. The government-linked Center for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecastingwarnedthat the ruble could experience an “overshoot” in the opposite direction, reversing its earlier gains with a potentially steep depreciation. “The more overvalued the ruble is now,” the group said, “the more vulnerable it is to a sharp correction.”

rimmaruslan98@gmail.com June 13, 2025

‘Plush Troops’: The Pro-War Children’s Toys Taking Over Russia’s Online Marketplaces Текст: “In this strategy game, you lead a battalion aiming to liberate Ukraine from Nazi rule,” reads the description of Russia’s first board game about the war in Ukraine. The game,called“Special Operation on the Outskirts,” sells for about 1,600 rubles ($20) on Russian online marketplaces. Inspired by Monopoly and designed for two to six players, the game challenges participants to occupy as many Ukrainian cities as possible. Instead of Monopoly money, players use a fictional currency featuring the faces of President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and former General Sergei Surovikin. In the fourth year of the full-scale invasion, toys and merchandise featuring the pro-war Z symbol have become increasingly common on Russian marketplaces and social media. Listings include everything from car dashboard decorations to toy soldiers for children. “The plot grabs you from the first minutes. It’s great that part of the proceeds go to support participants of the special military operation. The perfect gift for patriots!”writesYekaterina, a recent buyer. Other reviewers share that they gave the game to their sons on Defenders of the Fatherland Day. Another board game, “Couch Expert,” promises to educate players about the invasion. Players have 30 seconds to answer questions about the progress of the “special operation.” Questions range from the late ultranationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s position on the war to the roles of figures like Elon Musk and propagandist Olga Skabeyeva in shaping сoverage of the invasion. “I ordered 11 of them for school as gifts for the boys. But I got lucky — the boxes came wrapped in film, so it’s not embarrassing to give them. Thanks,”writesa woman named Natalia in a review. These toys span all price ranges, from an acrylic Z-minionto aroly-polytoy bearing the pro-war slogan “You can’t knock us down.” The latter sells for about 500 rubles ($6). “The idea to create a patriotic roly-poly toy came five years ago, when the Russian team was banned from competing under the national flag at the Olympics in Korea,”saysDmitry Zavidov, director of the Kotovsky Roly-Polies company. On VKontakte, Yulia from Moscowsells“knitted fighters” shaped like a tiger, mouse or dog. Each animal, stitched with a Z or V,costs1,500 rubles ($18). For an extra 250 rubles, Yulia offers to embroider a soldier’s callsign on the toy’s flak vest. “Any other inscription of your choice is also possible (price depends on the size),”readsthe product description. On some marketplaces, similar toys arepricedat around 1,100 rubles ($14). Another item on the market is a stuffedraccoonmarked with the Z symbol, a reference to the raccoon that Russian troops infamously stole from a zoo during their retreat from the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson. Sellers alsoofferstuffed bears in military uniforms with Z and V insignia. In some cases, the toys arehandmadeby widows of Russian soldiers. For younger children, “patriotic”coloring bookssell for about 300 rubles ($3.73). “My child is four. He liked it,” says one mother in a review. Some parents post videos of their children coloring tanks and other Russian military equipment. For about the same price, sellers alsooffera set of toy soldiers called the “Special Operation Recon Soldiers Set.” “Toy figures of the Russian Armed Forces will delight children with their quality and design. They’re perfect for role-playing games and help develop creativity and imagination,” the manufacturer claims. War-related games and toys may hold particular appeal for children,explainspsychologist Michael Brandl, a member of the German toy evaluation group Spiel Gut. One reason for their appeal, he says, is that they offer positive reinforcement of the media and propaganda messaging that children encounter daily. “From these sources, children form an image of a person they then try to imitate and act out in roleplay. Weapons and how to use them become part of the child’s perceived reality and a key attribute of the supposed image of the ‘ideal’ man,” Brandlwrote. A child psychologist from Russia, whose name has been withheld for safety reasons, voiced a similar view. “This is a protracted war, so the state and Vladimir Putin need boys, even from kindergarten, to already be preparing for the future battlefield,” the psychologist told The Moscow Times. “First, the state turns poor women into mothers who buy these toy soldiers. Then this Z-patriotism is nurtured with a mother’s milk. They’ll buy it without even noticing the Z, especially if it’s on sale.” Marketplaces also offer stuffed cat car decorations in camouflage colors that cost about 500 rubles ($6.20). In addition to a toy with the Russian tricolor and the letter Z, the manufacturer alsooffersa version bearing the Wagner mercenary group’s skull emblem. “You sent me a female cat, apparently — no male features and no Z. I specifically needed a male cat with a Z on it! I refused the order at pickup,”complainsa buyer named Elena. Other buyers note that the toy’s tail fell off quickly. Even toy robots are marked with the Z symbol. A set of these toys costing 784 rubles ($9.70) includes a robot with a Russian flag and weapons. For an extra 200 rubles, itcomeswith a glow-in-the-dark Z. “Satisfied with the purchase. Russia will win! Russia always wins!”saysMaria, who bought the Z-robot for her son, in her review.

rimmaruslan98@gmail.com June 13, 2025

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