Kyiv/Vatican City - G7 nations call on Moscow to withdraw troops from plant as fear of nuclear catastrophe unless fighting stops. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, thanked the Pope for his constant prayers as the nation endures ongoing aggression as a much-needed humanitarian food aid cargo will leave Ukraine for Africa in the coming days.

Kyiv is targeting Russian soldiers who shoot at Europe's largest nuclear power station or use it as a base to shoot from, as G7 nations, fearing a nuclear catastrophe, called on Moscow to withdraw its forces from the plant.

Ukraine and Russia traded accusations over multiple incidents of shelling at the Zaporizhzhia facility in southern Ukraine. Russian troops captured the station early in the war.

"Every Russian soldier who either shoots at the plant, or shoots using the plant as cover, must understand that he becomes a special target for our intelligence agents, for our special services, for our army," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an evening address on Saturday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, seeking to inspect the plant, has warned of a nuclear disaster unless fighting stops. Nuclear experts fear fighting might damage the plant's spent fuel pools or the reactors.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has called for the establishment of a demilitarised zone around the Zaporizhzhia facility, which is still being run by Ukrainian technicians.

Russia reorients units in Southern Ukraine
Russia's priority over the past week has likely been to reorient units to strengthen its campaign in southern Ukraine, British military intelligence said on Sunday.

Russian-backed forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in the eastern region of Donbas continued assaults to the north of Donetsk city, the British Defence Ministry said in its daily intelligence bulletin on Twitter.

Grain shipments, Medicines
Two more ships carrying grain left Ukraine's Black Sea ports on Saturday, Turkey's defence ministry said, bringing to 16 the number of vessels to depart under a U.N.- and Turkey-brokered deal in late July aimed partly at easing a global food crisis.

Ukraine's infrastructure ministry said on Saturday that 16 ships carrying 450,000 tonnes of agricultural products had departed from Ukrainian sea ports since early August under the deal, which ensured safe passage for vessels.

The U.N.-chartered ship MV Brave Commander will depart Ukraine for Africa in coming days after it finishes loading more than 23,0000 tons of wheat in the port of Pivdennyi, a U.N. official said.

The Fulmar S vessel carrier with 12000 ton of corn makes its way from the port in Odesa, Ukraine. Image/AP

The ship, bound for Ethiopia, will be the first humanitarian food aid cargo to Africa since the start of the war, amid fears the loss of Ukrainian grain supplies could lead to outbreaks of famine.

Ukraine’s health minister has accused Russian authorities of committing crime against humanity by blocking access to affordable medicines in areas its forces have occupied since invading the country 5 1/2 months ago.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko said Russian authorities repeatedly have blocked efforts to provide state-subsidized drugs to people in occupied cities, towns and villages.

Zelensky thanks Pope Francis for prayers
A telephone conversation between Pope Francis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took place on Friday, 12 August, nearly six months after the start of the war in Ukraine.

Their conversation came as part of the Pope’s oft-expressed solidarity with all the Ukrainian people.

President Zelensky broke the news himself in a tweet. They spoke of the horrors being suffered by the Ukrainian people since Russia invaded on 24 February, and the president expressed his gratitude to the Pope for his prayers.

"Our people need support of world spiritual leaders who should convey to the world the truth about acts of horror committed by the aggressor in Ukraine," wrote the President.

Shortly thereafter, in a separate tweet, the Ukrainian Ambassador to the Holy See, Andrii Yurash, reiterated the news of the telephone conversation, adding that "Ukrainian state and society will be happy to greet the Holy Father”, expressing hopes for a visit by Pope Francis to Kiev.
-Reuters/VN/AP