Ukraine invasion: Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant cut off from power supply by shelling

Ukraine's Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant lost its connection to external power supply early on Saturday as a result of shelling, Ukraine's state nuclear company Energoatom said, blaming Russia.

Energoatom said the plant was now getting power to cover its own needs from its backup diesel generators, reported Reuters. 

"The diesel generators started automatically. The available supplies of diesel fuel for their operation in this mode will be enough for 10 days," the company wrote on Telegram. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Friday that his forces recaptured nearly 2,500 square kilometres (965 square miles) in the counter-offensive that began late last month, according to AFP. 

The same day, Russian forces said  they had captured ground in Donetsk in east Ukraine, their first claim of new gains since the Kyiv counter-offensive.