The Energy Conflict between Moscow and the West

A critical nuclear power plant in Ukraine has again lost external power, international energy officials said on Saturday, raising concerns in recent days as the energy war between Moscow and the West continues.

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's largest, lost its last remaining main external power line, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said, although a backup line was able to continue supplying electricity to the grid. https://twitter.com/TRTWorldNow/status/1566263722829553664 Only one of the plant's six reactors remained operational, the agency said in a statement posted on its website. The plant, which has been under Moscow's control since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in late February, has become a focal point of the conflict, with each side blaming the other for nearby shelling. Meanwhile, the dispute over Russian gas and oil exports escalated further this week as Moscow vowed to keep its main gas pipeline to Germany closed and G7 countries announced a planned price cap on Russian oil exports. The energy row, a fallout from President Vladimir Putin's six-month-long invasion of Ukraine, underscores the deep rift between Moscow and Western countries as Europe prepares for the cold months ahead. "Russia is preparing a decisive energy blow to all Europeans for this winter," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a night speech on Saturday, referring to the continued closure of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. Zelensky had previously blamed Russian bombing for the shutdown of a nuclear power plant last week, which narrowly averted a radiation leak. Moscow has blamed Western sanctions and technical problems for the power cuts, while European countries have accused Russia of weaponizing resources as part of its military occupation. Follow Global Economic Developments on Social Media! Click here to follow Ieconomy official Facebook account! Click here to follow Ieconomy official Instagram account! Click here to follow Ieconomy official Twitter account!