Updates: Russia mulls secure zone around Zaporizhzhia plant

A senior Russian official said on Tuesday that Moscow was generally supportive of the idea of creating a secure zone around the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, the TASS news agency reported.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's ambassador to international institutions in Vienna, where the International Atomic Energy Agency is based, was responding to long-standing calls by the UN nuclear watchdog for a de-escalation of the conflict near the plant, Europe's largest nuclear facility.

"The essence (of the IAEA proposal) in a nutshell is that you cannot shoot from the territory of the nuclear station and you cannot shoot at the station. Quite a reasonable idea, which we generally support. The question, as always, is in the details," TASS quoted Ulyanov as saying.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's nuclear energy operator said that Russian forces were performing secret work at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, activity that could shed light on Russia's claims that Kyiv's forces are preparing a "provocation" involving a radioactive device.

Russian officers controlling the area won't give access to Ukrainian staff running the plant or monitors from the UN's atomic energy watchdog that would allow them to see what they are doing, Energoatom said in a statement.

Energoatom said it "assumes ... (the Russians) are preparing a terrorist act using nuclear materials and radioactive waste stored at (the plant)." It said there were 174 containers at the plant's dry spent fuel storage facility, each of them containing 24 assemblies of spent nuclear fuel.

"Destruction of these containers as a result of explosion will lead to a radiation accident and radiation contamination of several hundred square kilometers (miles) of the adjacent territory,'' the company said. It called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to assess what was going on.

In the meantime, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that experts from the UN nuclear watchdog would soon be arriving in Ukraine and receive full access to nuclear facilities, and he called on Moscow to demonstrate the same transparency as Ukraine.

Later on Tuesday, the UN Security Council will discuss behind closed doors Russia's claims that Ukraine plans to detonate a "dirty bomb" and blame it on Moscow.

Here are the other main headlines from the war in Ukraine on October 25:

Rishi Sunak speaks to Zelenksyy for 1st time as PM

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with Ukrainian President Zelenksyy on Tuesday and reiterated the UK's support for Ukraine.

Sunak's spokesperson said the "Prime Minister said the United Kingdom's support for Ukraine would be as strong as ever under his premiership, and President Zelenskyy could count on his government to stand in continued solidarity."

Earlier on Tuesday, Zelenskyy congratulated Sunak and said Kyiv was ready to strengthen ties with London, a key military ally.

Biden warns Russia against nuclear attack in Ukraine

US President Joe Biden warned Russia against using a nuclear weapon in the war with Ukraine, saying such an escalation would be a grave error.

Asked by reporters whether he thinks Russia is preparing a dirty bomb attack that it would then blame on Ukraine, Biden said: "Russia would be making an incredibly serious mistake were it to use a tactical nuclear weapon."

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had phoned Western counterparts on Sunday to tell them Moscow suspected Kyiv of planning to use a bomb laced with nuclear material.

In a reaction to this claim, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Russian accusation was a sign Moscow was planning such an attack itself and would blame Ukraine.

Indonesian president announces Ukraine peace initiative for G20 summit

Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced a peace initiative for Ukraine at the upcoming G20 summit of leading economic powers in Bali in November.

At the summit, Indonesia would invite everyone to "sit down together and engage in constructive dialogue," Widodo said in a video message at the end of an international expert conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine in Berlin on.

This included those who were on different sides, he said. "Only in this way can we create a strong foundation for Ukraine's reconstruction process," he said.

Widodo is hosting the G20 summit to be held on the island of Bali on 15 and 16 November.

EU urges donations to support Ukraine energy sector

The European Commission urged European Union countries and companies to donate more money and equipment to support the energy sector in Ukraine, over a third of which has been destroyed by Russian missile and drone strikes.

"What is at stake is the protection and wellbeing of thousands and tens of thousands of households, vulnerable people, children and elderly before this coming winter," EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said.

Speaking after a meeting of energy ministers in Luxembourg, she said Ukrainian transformers, circuit breakers and power lines had been destroyed, causing outages.

Simson said clearly more was needed than the €20.5 million euros ($20.43 million) worth of donations that has been collected. She encouraged private entities, such as companies, to do more too.

Ukraine urges refugees to stay abroad until spring

Because of the war damage to Ukraine's electricity and heat supply, the Ukrainian government is asking the men and women who have fled abroad because of the Russian invasion to wait until next spring to return. 

"If the opportunity arises, stay and spend the winter abroad," said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, adding that power systems are unstable due to Russian attacks.

"You see what Russia is doing, everyone sees it," Vereshchuk said. "We understand that the situation will get worse and we have to survive this winter."

Since October 10, the Russian army has destroyed many power and heating systems in Ukraine with rocket and drone attacks.

According to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, 7.7 million Ukrainian refugees have been registered in other European countries since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24 (as of October 19). Some 4.4 million Ukrainians were given temporary protection status.

Sunak vows to support Ukraine to war's 'conclusion'

Britain's new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, vowed to help Ukraine fight off Russia's invasion even as he warned of difficult financial choices ahead for his government.

Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, Sunak called it a "terrible war that must be seen successfully to its conclusion".

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Rishi Sunak and said Kyiv was ready to strengthen ties with London, a key military ally.

"Congratulations to Rishi Sunak on taking office as British Prime Minister!" Zelenskyy wrote on social media, saying he hoped Sunak would be able "to successfully overcome all the challenges facing British society and the whole world today."

Russia is still failing to maintain adequate air superiority — UK Ministry of Defense

Russia is still failing to maintain adequate air superiority in order to reliably carry out effective air support near the front line, and its artillery ammunition is running low, the British Ministry of Defence has said in a daily intelligence update.

There have been at least 23 verified losses of Russia's Ka-52 HOKUM attack helicopter in Ukraine since the invasion.

"Russian attack helicopters have likely suffered particular attrition from Ukrainian man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), while the helicopters frequently operate with less consistent top-cover from combat jets than they would expect under Russian military doctrine," the update said.

More DW content on the war in Ukraine

A few days after Frank-Walter Steinmeier canceled a trip for security reasons, he has finally made his first trip to the Ukrainian capital since the Russian invasion.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have appealed for a "Marshall Plan" to rebuild war-scarred Ukraine. What would that entail?

dh/aw (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)