The Ukraine war has been on for 495 days. The Times believes Vladimir Putin may execute an order to blow up the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Russian MP Adam Delimkhanov has appeared on video for the first time since he had been reported wounded in mid-June. A major oil spill is reported in the region of Komi.

Find out what happened overnight in Novaya Gazeta Europe’s 3 July round-up.

The Times: Russia may blow up Zaporizhzhia NPP

Vladimir Putin may execute an order to blow up the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, according to The Times.

The newspaper believes the Russian government was behind the Kakhovka dam destruction. As an authoritarian leader, Putin may want to blow up the power plant so as to demonstrate to the demoralised Russian military and population that he still controls the situation after the PMC Wagner mutiny.

The Times believes the fact that the plant’s personnel is being reported to be evacuated is strong evidence to support this theory.

The Ukrainian side noted numerous times that Russia may blow up the plant. Russia denies these allegations.

Adam Delimkhanov appears on video

Ramzan Kadyrov, the governor of Chechnya, has streamed a live video on Instagram together with Adam Delimkhanov, a Chechen MP. The two denied the rumours that they are ill.

“These gossip talkers who have nothing to do but chat about will not calm down. It is for such narrow-minded people that we, together with our dear brother, the head of the Chechen Republic, the Hero of Russia Ramzan Kadyrov, recorded this video,” Delimkhanov wrote after that.

Delimkhanov says Kadyrov is “healthy and full of energy, and is actively doing sports”.

Various Telegram channels and Ukrainian media reported Delimkhanov dead in mid-July. After that, the Russian media announced that he had been wounded, and State Duma MPs alongside Kadyrov later claimed that he was “alive and well and not even injured.” Delimkhanov did not appear in public or video for more than a fortnight.

There were also reports on 2 July that Delimkhanov’s death or injury could have been staged.

Major oil spill in Komi

A petroleum-containing fluid polluted the River Kolva in Russia’s Komi region, the local authorities report.

“A line failure was detected at an infield pipeline, which resulted in a spill of a petroleum-containing fluid which polluted the Kolva River,” the statement said.

An increased readiness mode was declared in the area.