Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant again lost external power, fuelling fears of disaster while Moscow kept its main gas pipeline to Germany shut to hurt economies of Kyiv’s friends in the West.

Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

Zaporizhzhia plant

• The plant continues to supply electricity to the grid despite losing connection to the last remaining main external power line, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

• Russia said it foiled a Ukrainian attempt to take back the plant with strikes from military helicopters and fighter jets, destroying 20 Ukrainian vessels.

• Reuters could not verify the report. Kyiv and Moscow have traded accusations about attacks on the plant for months.

• Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call that his country can play a facilitator role regarding the plant, his office said.

Energy

• Germany’s gas storage facilities have reached the October goal of 85% despite the extended halt of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline delivering gas from Russia, data from European operators group GIE showed.

• Sweden will offer tens of billions of dollars worth of liquidity guarantees to energy firms to help avert a financial crisis after the Nord Stream 1 shutdown, the prime minister said.

• The European Union expects Russia to respect existing energy contracts but is prepared to meet the challenge if it fails to do so, Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said.

Aid

• Germany will provide Ukraine with an additional 200 million euros ($200 million) to fund aid programmes for those internally displaced as a result of Russia’s invasion, the development minister said.