Day 696 of the Invasion of Ukraine: Germany And NATO Must Prepare For Possible Russian Attack

Day 696 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

• Russian forces have again mined the approaches to the Zaporizhzhia NPP
• Germany and NATO must prepare for a possible Russian attack
• Ukraine has called on the West to close the channels for importing weapons components to Russia
• The EU is preparing new sanctions against Russia for 2 years since the war

Russian forces have again mined the approaches to the Zaporizhzhia NPP

Russian forces have again mined the approaches to the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which they control, according to a published report of the International Atomic Energy Agency, cited by DPA.

The agency recalls that in November the Russians demined the plant. Mines are now located between the inner and outer fences around the perimeter of the nuclear facility, which is located near the front line in Ukraine.

The new mining is incompatible with safety standards, said the agency's director general, Rafael Grossi. He warned that Russian-appointed officials would not carry out comprehensive maintenance of the facility this year, which is necessary from a safety perspective.

Last week, the IAEA's permanent observers at the Zaporizhzhia NPP received a work plan, which Grossi says is incomplete.

Germany and NATO must prepare for a possible Russian attack

Germany and NATO should prepare for a possible Russian attack in the next few years, although the risk is not high. This is what German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in an interview with "Tagesspiegel".

In it, he expresses serious concern about a possible escalation of the...