Ukraine bans Independence Day rallies for fear of Russian rocket strikes

KYIV, Aug 22 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s capital Kyiv banned public celebrations this week to commemorate independence from Russian-dominated Soviet rule and its second city Kharkiv declared a curfew due to a heightened threat of Russian attack, local authorities said.

Near frontlines in the south of the country, Ukraine said Russia fired rockets into several southern Ukrainian towns north and west of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, captured by Russian forces shortly after they invaded Ukraine in February.

Artillery and rocket fire in the region of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor complex, on the Russian-occupied south bank of the Dnipro River, has stirred fears of a nuclear disaster and led to calls for the surrounding area to be demilitarised.

Russia launched what it calls a “special military operation” on Feb. 24 to demilitarise its smaller neighbour and protect Russian-speaking communities. Ukraine and its Western backers accuse Moscow of waging an imperial-style war of conquest.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned at the weekend of the risk of more severe attacks ahead of Ukraine’s 31st anniversary on Wednesday of independence from Russian-dominated Soviet rule.

Local authorities in Kyiv have banned large public events, rallies and other gatherings related to the anniversary in the capital from Monday until Thursday due to the possibility of rocket attacks, according to a document published by the Kyiv military administration and signed by its head Mykola Zhyrnov.

Ihor Terekhov, mayor of Kharkiv in the northeast which has come under frequent and deadly long-range Russian bombardment, extended a regular overnight curfew to run from 4 p.m. to 7 a.m. effective from Tuesday to Thursday.

In the port city of Mykolaiv near Russian-occupied territory to the south, regional governor Vitaly Kim said authorities were preparing a precautionary order for residents to work from home on Tuesday and Wednesday and urged people not to gather in large groups.

Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address on Saturday, said Moscow could try “something particularly ugly” in the run-up to Wednesday, which also marks half a year since Russia invaded.

He said he had discussed “all the threats” with his French counterpart and word had also been sent to other leaders including Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. read more

“All of Ukraine’s partners have been informed about what the terrorist state can prepare for this week,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address, referring to Russia.

The Financial Times, in an article published on Sunday, quoted Gennady Gatilov, Moscow’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, as saying Erdogan had tried to facilitate dialogue.

But he dismissed speculation about talks between Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin,…