Russia and Ukraine Agree to Local Ceasefire Around Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

The latest reports from the front indicate a rare case of diplomatic-technical agreement between the warring parties. Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a "locally limited pause in hostilities" in the immediate vicinity of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. This decision, monitored by IAEA, is to allow technical crews to repair damage caused by earlier shelling. This is particularly important as the Zaporizhzhia region was attacked a record number of over 660 times in the last 24 hours, posing a direct threat to nuclear safety. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, the safety of nuclear facilities in Ukraine has been the subject of numerous international interventions aimed at avoiding a repeat of the Chernobyl disaster. Despite the local calm near Zaporizhzhia, fighting is intensifying on other sections of the front. Ukrainian command reports "constant pressure" from Russian forces on the front in the Donetsk region. Russia, in turn, is setting tough political conditions, suggesting an end to peace talks if Ukraine does not give up Donbas. In response to the difficult situation, Kyiv is adapting its defense strategy by moving drone production lines to allied countries to guarantee a continuous supply of unmanned aerial vehicles to the front. Cooperation with the Netherlands in this area has been further expanded, indicating the growing role of modern technologies in repelling the offensive. „Irans Regime entschied sich, Putins Komplize zu sein” (The Iranian regime decided to be Putin's accomplice.) — Ukrainian President, criticizing Iran's role in the conflict and praising US resolve. The humanitarian situation in frontline regions remains tragic. In the Kherson, Donetsk, and Sumy regions, further civilian fatalities have been recorded. Ukraine's critical infrastructure remains a target for the Kremlin; recent attacks have damaged gas installations and industrial plants, including a Philip Morris factory in Kharkiv, where losses are estimated at millions of euros. Meanwhile, Ukrainian retaliatory strikes targeting Russian energy infrastructure caused widespread power outages in the Belgorod region, where about 60,000 residents were left without electricity. Western support is taking financial and legislative forms – IMF approved a new billion-dollar loan for Ukraine, and the Polish Sejm opened the way for European loans for armament purposes. Number of attacks on the Zaporizhzhia region (February 28): Zaporizhzhia region: 664