after it had been reconnected to the ukrainian energy grid, this according to ukraine s nuclear agency. it says the reactor is using its own energy to power cooling systems. russia has held the plant since march, but it remains staffed by ukrainian operators. the international atomic energy agency said last tuesday shelling damaged a backup power line supplying the plant. news from the nuclear plant comes as ukraine claims major gains against russian forces near kharkiv. ukrainian troops on saturday rolled into izium. this could be the most significant defeat for moscow since the battle for kyiv. cnn s melissa bell reports from southwest of kharkiv. reporter: more gains for ukrainian forces as they seek to move eastward in an eastern offensive that began earlier this week. it was august 29th they began
if he suffered heat exhaustion battling at five. heart they expect the threat of fires from extremely high. about 99% of the state is experiencing some level of drought. as cnn s melissa bell reports, the extreme heat is a problem here as well as in europe a fire rages through a field in spain as homes burn. in a fire rages through a field in spain as homes burn. in greater london, a house is swallowed by wildfire. these, just some of the many sweeping across europe where temperatures have soared in a heat emergency that stretches across the globe. china s heat wave began last week, with 51 cities including beijing, now into the second highest heat alert level. european cities sweltered under new highs in what is the continents second heat wave of the summer, now entering its second week. ireland seeing its hottest day in a century. in the united kingdom, temperatures reached 104
and proactive alerts on market events. that s decision tech. only from fidelity. today, an expansion of nato, perhaps vladimir putin s worst nightmare, is under way. finland and sweden have formally handed in their applications for membership. the nato secretary-general calling it a historic step. this as the first russian soldier charged with a war crime in ukraine pleaded guilty today in kyiv. prosecutors say he killed an unarmed civilian back in february. russians officials are calling the trial unacceptable and staged. as cnn s melissa bell reports for us now, some ukrainians are concerned this trial could create backlash for the captured mariupol fighters currently in russian custody. ukrainian and russian
is a game-changer i would say with the help of the west, of course. however, i would expect that russia will continue this effort. and i think if we compare the ukrainian experience to georgian experience, in the ukraine this time, russia has far-reaching aims, which the regime change and the reversal of ukraine s democratic aspirations. and that is directly linked to the aspirations of the current government to join nato and the european union. all right. we ll have to leave there it. but thank you so much for your expertise, natia seskuria. thank you. it s also tarting a high profile war crimes trial in its capital. a 21-year-old soldier is the first russian to face war crimes charges since the war began. but as melissa bell reports,
le pen, will hit the campaign trail in northern france. friday is the last day of campaigning before voters head to the polls. the contest, the rematch of a presidential runoff in 2017, when mr. macron easily beat le pen but this time around, polls suggest a much closer race, even though the president still holds a small lead. now, the last round of campaigning comes after ma kroep and le pen traded barbs in a tv debate wednesday. as melissa bell reports, that debate brought russia and ukraine to the forefront of the presidential contest. reporter: two candidates, two visions for france, two possible outcomes for ukraine with russia taking center stage in france s presidential race. translator: you depend on russian power. you depend on mr. putin. i am an absolutely and totally free woman. reporter: as one of the few western leaders with a line open to both moscow and kyiv, macron