Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking nuclear plant, causing a fire

No summation successful radiation levels detected aft drone strikes, Russian officials accidental arsenic Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day.

Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying retired a drone onslaught connected a atomic works that has caused a occurrence and harm to an auxiliary transformer arsenic Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day for the 34th time.

Sunday’s onslaught forced a 50 percent simplification successful the operating capableness astatine reactor fig 3 astatine the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), adjacent to the borderline with Ukraine, according to Russian officials, who added that respective powerfulness and vigor facilities were targeted successful the overnight strikes.

The occurrence astatine the atomic installation was rapidly extinguished with nary injuries reported, the plant’s quality work said connected Telegram. Two different reactors are operating without powerfulness generation, and 1 is undergoing scheduled repairs, it said, adding that radiation levels were normal.

Alexander Khinshtein, the Kursk region’s acting governor, said Ukrainian attacks connected the plant, 60km (38 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border, “are a menace to atomic information and a usurpation of each planetary conventions”.

The United Nations atomic watchdog connected Sunday confirmed mean radiation levels adjacent the atomic plant.

“Monitoring confirms mean radiation levels adjacent Kursk NPP,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said successful a station connected X.

Russia and Ukraine person besides accused each different of attacks connected the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant successful southeastern Ukraine and warned they could trigger a atomic accident. The atomic works – Europe’s biggest – is nether Russian control.

In occidental Russia’s Leningrad region, firefighters responded to a blaze astatine the larboard of Ust-Luga, location to a large substance export terminal. The determination politician said astir 10 Ukrainian drones were changeable down and the debris ignited the fire.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its aerial defences intercepted a full of 95 Ukrainian drones implicit Russian territory overnight into Sunday.

Russia fired 72 drones and decoys on with a cruise rocket into Ukraine successful the aforesaid clip period, Ukraine’s aerial unit said. Of these, 48 drones were changeable down oregon jammed, it said.

Ukraine’s Independence Day

The incidents occurred arsenic Ukraine marked its Independence
Day, commemorating its 1991 declaration of independency from the Soviet Union. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered remarks successful a video code from Kyiv’s Independence Square, emphasising the nation’s resolve.

“We are gathering a Ukraine that volition person capable spot and powerfulness to unrecorded successful information and peace,” Zelenskyy said portion calling for a “just peace”.

“What our aboriginal volition beryllium is up to america alone,” helium said successful a motion to the United States-Russia acme successful Alaska this month, which galore feared would permission Ukrainian and European interests sidelined.

“The satellite knows this. And the satellite respects this. It respects Ukraine. It perceives Ukraine arsenic an equal,” helium said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov slammed Zelenskyy for “obstinately insisting, mounting conditions, demanding an contiguous gathering astatine each costs” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Lavrov besides accused Ukrainian authorities of “attempts to disrupt the process that was laid down by Presidents Putin and [Donald] Trump [of the US], which has yielded precise bully results”.

“We anticipation that these attempts volition beryllium thwarted,” helium said, accusing Western countries of trying to “block” bid negotiations to extremity the Ukraine struggle aft a flurry of diplomatic enactment appeared to stall.

On Friday, Lavrov said “no meeting” betwixt Zelenskyy and Putin was planned. The Trump medication has been making efforts to organise a gathering betwixt Zelenskyy and Putin to find a solution to the war.

Amid the diplomatic efforts, warring continued connected the beforehand lines successful eastbound Ukraine, wherever Russia claimed connected Saturday that its forces had seized 2 villages successful the Donetsk region.

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived successful Kyiv connected Sunday greeting for meetings with Zelenskyy.

“On this peculiar time – Ukraine’s Independence Day – it is particularly important for america to consciousness the enactment of our friends, and Canada has ever stood by our side,” Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s main of staff, said.

Norway announced important caller subject assistance connected Sunday, pledging astir 7 cardinal kroner ($695m) for aerial defence systems.