Zelenskyy says Russia is preparing a 'decisive energy blow' for all Europeans this winter

Credit: AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned Europeans to brace for a difficult winter after Russia shut down a key pipeline to the continent.

"Russia is preparing a decisive energy blow on all Europeans for this winter," Mr Zelenskyy said in a video address on Saturday night.

Fears about energy supplies over the coming months were heightened after Russian State energy firm Gazprom said it found a leak on Nord Stream 1 last week, meaning it could be closed indefinitely.

In his address, the Ukrainian president said that only unity among European countries would offer protection against a weaponisation of energy by Russia.

He was reported to have also said that Russia wants to destroy the normal life of every European citizen.

The shutdown of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which runs under the Baltic Sea to Germany, stoked concerns of winter gas shortages that could help tip major economies into energy rationing programmes.

This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant occupied by Russian forces in Ukraine. Credit: Planet Labs PBC via AP

Nuclear power plant fearsMr Zelenskyy's comments came as UN inspectors confirmed on Saturday that the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine had again lost external power.

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said, however, that the facility was still able to run electricity through a reserve line, despite sustained shelling in the area.

The Zaporizhzhia facility, which is Europe’s largest nuclear plant, has been held by Russian forces since early March, but its Ukrainian staff are continuing to operate it.

Both Kyiv and Moscow have blamed the other for shelling in the area, which has sparked fears that a nuclear disaster could be triggered.

Local Ukrainian authorities accused Moscow of pounding two cities that overlook the plant across the Dnieper river with rockets, an accusation they have made repeatedly over the past weeks.

Some other key developments in Ukraine:

  • The southern Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv and its surrounding region have been hit daily for weeks. On Saturday, a child was killed and five people were injured in rocket attacks in the region, governor Vitaliy Kim said.

  • In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Russian shelling late Saturday set a large wooden restaurant complex on fire, according to the region’s emergency service. One person was killed and two injured in shelling in the region, governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

  • Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of the eastern Donetsk region where Russian forces have been trying to take full control, said four people were killed in shelling on Saturday.

  • Germany will invest an additional €65bn in a new round of measures aimed at helping to ease high energy prices for consumers.

  • The UK's ministry of defence said on Sunday that Russian forces continue to suffer from morale and discipline issues in Ukraine, with pay being one of the big issues for the country's troops.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know