Ukraine carried out a series of drone attacks on Russia on Sunday, leading to a fire at a nuclear power facility as the country marked its independence day amid growing doubts about the success of recent peace initiatives.
Following weeks of diplomatic activity and efforts by US President Donald Trump to organize a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, hopes for progress collapsed on Friday when Moscow dismissed the idea of an immediate summit.
The ongoing war, now stretching into its fourth year, has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and remains largely at a standstill. Despite the stalemate, Russia has recently secured incremental gains, including the capture of two villages in eastern Donetsk on Saturday.
In response, Ukraine launched drone assaults deep into Russian territory on Sunday, including one that struck near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in western Russia. The facility confirmed that the drone was intercepted and exploded on impact, causing a fire.
The plant later reported that the blaze had been contained and emphasized that there were no injuries or heightened radiation levels following the incident.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly expressed concern over the dangers of combat near nuclear facilities since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Russian officials stated that several Ukrainian drones were also intercepted in areas far from the primary frontlines, including Saint Petersburg in the northwest.
Ten additional drones were destroyed over Ust-Luga on the Gulf of Finland, resulting in a fire at a fuel terminal owned by Russian energy giant Novatek, regional governor Aleksandr Drozdenko announced on Telegram.
With a smaller and less equipped military, Ukraine has increasingly turned to drone warfare to counter Russia’s invasion, focusing on strikes against oil and fuel infrastructure to disrupt one of Moscow’s main revenue sources supporting its war efforts.
These targeted attacks have contributed to a sharp rise in fuel prices across Russia.
Ukrainian officials also reported that Russia launched an overnight offensive using a ballistic missile and 72 Iranian-made Shahed drones, of which the Ukrainian air force successfully intercepted 48.
In a separate incident, a Russian drone strike killed a 47-year-old woman in the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to the local governor.
The latest round of attacks came as Ukraine commemorated its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, marking the anniversary with both celebration and defiance.
“This is how Ukraine strikes when its calls for peace are ignored,” Zelenskyy declared during his independence day speech.
“Today, both the US and Europe agree: Ukraine has not yet fully won, but it will certainly not lose. Ukraine has secured its independence. Ukraine is not a victim; it is a fighter.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the ceremonies in Kyiv, calling for “a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to numerous global leaders — including Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, King Charles, and the pope — for sending messages marking the occasion.
Currently, Russia controls roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
The war has displaced millions and left widespread devastation across cities and towns in Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions.
Putin has consistently rejected demands from Ukraine and Western nations for an unconditional ceasefire to halt the fighting.
On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that “no meeting” between Putin and Zelenskyy was on the schedule, as Trump’s mediation efforts stalled, while Zelenskyy accused Moscow of deliberately extending its offensive.
