One week into a new counter-offensive, Ukrainian forces are making gains in the south, with the ambitious goal of taking back most of the Russian-occupied region of Kherson by the end of the year.

The last week has seen the most ambitious ground assaults by the Ukrainians since the beginning of the invasion, following sustained attacks on command posts, ammunition stores, and fuel reserves far behind the front lines, according to geolocation of video and satellite imagery.

The US has observed Ukrainian forces achieve some success in attacking Russian supply lines, with the intention of cutting off and isolating Russian troops currently deployed west of the Dnipro River, according to a senior US official.

At the same time, Ukraine is considering switching off the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia power plant for safety reasons, amid fears that the diesel used to power back-up generators could run out.  The facility, the largest of its kind in Europe, is currently disconnected from the national power grid, following damage to external power lines.

Oleh Korikov, Kyiv’s top nuclear safety expert, said: “The option of switching off the station is being assessed, if conditions necessitating the station to be switched off arise.”

He added: “We could potentially reach a situation where the diesel runs out, which would cause an accident involving the damage of the active zones of the reactors, which would cause the expulsion of radioactive substances into the environment,” he said.

“This would have consequences not only for the territory of Ukraine, but also cross-border consequences,” he said.  Shutting down the plant would cause further energy shortages in Ukraine this winter.

More:   CNN, Independent, EEA

Pray: A CAFOD prayer for Ukraine

Loving God,
We pray for the people of Ukraine,
for all those suffering or afraid,
that you will be close to them and protect them.

We pray for world leaders,
for compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices.

We pray for the world
that in this moment of crisis,
we may reach out in solidarity
to our brothers and sisters in need.

May we walk in your ways
so that peace and justice
become a reality for the people of Ukraine
and for all the world.

Amen.