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U.S. approves $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine; UN chief calls Russian attack on nuclear plant ‘suicidal’

This is CNBC’s live blog tracking developments on the war in Ukraine. See below for the latest updates.

A Russian serviceman patrols the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in Energodar on May 1, 2022. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station, seized by Russian forces in March, is in southeastern Ukraine and is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and among the 10 largest in the world.
A Russian serviceman patrols the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in Energodar on May 1, 2022. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station, seized by Russian forces in March, is in southeastern Ukraine and is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and among the 10 largest in the world.
Andrey Borodulin | Afp | Getty Images

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres dubbed shelling over the weekend of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant as “suicidal” and called for international inspectors to be given access to the site after Russia and Ukraine shifted blame for the attacks.

It comes as the Russian-appointed administration of Zaporizhzhia region moved ahead with steps to hold a referendum on joining Russia. Evgeny Balitsky signed a decree Monday to kick-start the process, Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Meantime, the Kremlin said there is currently no basis for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Russia’s former president and one of President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies, Dmitry Medvedev, also said Monday that Moscow would achieve its aims in the conflict in Ukraine on its own terms.

Elsewhere, two more ships carrying corn and soybeans left from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, taking the total number of shipments to 10 since a new deal aimed at alleviating a worsening global food crisis was launched last week.

Celebrity chef Jose Andres warns that Ukraine will need more humanitarian aid as winter approaches

Spanish celebrity chef and restaurateur Jose Andres told MSNBC that Ukraine will need more humanitarian aid in the coming months as winter approaches.

The two-star Michelin chef brought the World Central Kitchen, his humanitarian organization that prepares and delivers meals in crisis zones, to Ukraine to address the food crisis triggered by Russia’s war.

“The big message I want to send to the world is this; winter is coming,” Andres told MSNBC.

Andres said that his organization has so far served more than 127 million meals to Ukrainians.

— Amanda Macias

No indications of increased or abnormal radiation at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, U.S. official says

A serviceman with a Russian flag on his uniform stands guard near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict outside the Russian-controlled city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine August 4, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko
A serviceman with a Russian flag on his uniform stands guard near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict outside the Russian-controlled city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine August 4, 2022.
Alexander Ermochenko | Reuters

The U.S. has seen no indications of increased or abnormal radiation from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant following Russian missile strikes near the facility, a White House National Security Council official told NBC News.

The U.S. Energy Department and the National Nuclear Security Administration are monitoring radiation sensors at the Zaporizhzhia facility, the official added.

“Fighting near a nuclear plant is dangerous, and we continue to call on Russia to cease all military operations at or near Ukrainian nuclear facilities and return full control to Ukraine,” the national security official said.

— Amanda Macias

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https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/08/russia-ukraine-live-updates.html