Russia’s former president, Dmitry Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of the country’s Security Council, voiced yet another nuclear threat on 27 February, warning of a possible global nuclear catastrophe in case the West continued supplying arms to Ukraine. Tensions between Russia and the West rose further following the downing by Russia of a US reconnaissance drone over the Black Sea on 14 March, which prompted a strong reaction from the US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin who described Russia’s action as ‘dangerous’ and ‘reckless’.

Meanwhile, the Zaporizhya Nuclear Power Plant suffered a complete loss of external power for 11 hours on 9 March and was forced to rely on diesel generators for reactor cooling and other essential nuclear safety and security functions, according to IAEA-s Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.

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