Russia blamed Ukraine for drone attacks that caused a fire at a nuclear power plant in its western Kursk region, claiming several power and energy facilities were targeted. No injuries were reported and the fire was extinguished quickly, according to the plant’s press service on Telegram.
Firefighters were sent to a blaze at the Ust-Luga port in the Leningrad region. The port holds a large fuel export terminal, and around 10 Ukrainian drones were brought down. The fire had sparked from the debris, according to the regional governor.
Ukraine has yet to comment on the accusations, reports BBC.
Moreover, two villages in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine were seized by Russian forces, according to the nation. Russian forces now control about 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is celebrating their independence day on Sunday. It marks the country’s 34th declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived earlier on Sunday in Kyiv for a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
President Zelenskyy received a letter from King Charles III, where the King sent the Ukrainian people his “warmest and most sincere wishes.” Zelenskyy commented the King’s words were “kind” and a “true inspiration” for the people of Ukraine.
This month, US President Donald Trump held a summit for peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. A week later, Trump met with Zelenskyy and European leaders over Russia’s full-scale invasion, which commenced in 2022.
Though the Alaska summit was seen as a crucial step towards peace, Trump has publicly expressed frustration over the lack of a peace deal between the two warring nations by saying he is considering either hitting Russia with further economic sanctions or walking away from peace talks.