Ukraine hits Russian nuclear site as Kyiv marks independence day

Russia has blamed Ukrainian drone attacks for a fire at a nuclear power plant in its western Kursk region, saying several Russian power and energy facilities had been targeted overnight.

There were no injuries and the fire was quickly extinguished, the plant’s press service said on messaging app Telegram. It said the attack had damaged a transformer, but radiation levels were within the normal range.

Firefighters were also sent to a blaze at the port of Ust-Luga in Russia’s Leningrad region, which holds a large fuel export terminal. The regional governor said about 10 Ukrainian drones were brought down and debris had sparked the fire.

Ukraine has not commented on the Russian accusations.

The United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly called on both Russia and Ukraine to show maximum restraint around nuclear facilities in the war.

It comes as Ukraine celebrates its independence day on Sunday, which marks the country’s declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Kyiv on Sunday morning to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The pair are expected to hold a joint press conference.

“On this special day – Ukraine’s Independence Day – it is especially important for us to feel the support of our friends. And Canada has always stood by us,” Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, wrote on Telegram.

Meanwhile Zelensky shared a letter from King Charles sending the people of Ukraine his “warmest and most sincere wishes”.

“I keep feeling the greatest and deepest admiration for the unbreakable spirit of the Ukrainian people,” the King writes. “I remain hopeful that our countries will be able to further work closely together to achieve a just and lasting peace.”

Zelensky said the King’s “kind words are a true inspiration for our people during the difficult time of war”.

The UK government also said Ukrainian flags would appear above Downing Street in recognition of the anniversary.

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that British military experts will continue to train Ukrainian soldiers until at least the end of 2026, with an extension to Operation Interflex – the codename given to the UK Armed Forces’ training programme for Ukrainian recruits.

Norway announced on Sunday that it would contribute about 7 billion kroner (£514m; $693m) of air defence systems to Ukraine.

“Together with Germany, we are now ensuring that Ukraine receives powerful air defence systems,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said in a statement.

The two nations are funding two Patriot systems, including missiles, with Norway also helping procure air defence radar.

On Saturday, Russia said its forces in eastern Ukraine had seized two villages in the Donetsk region.

Russian forces have been advancing very slowly, and at great cost, in eastern Ukraine and now control about 20% of Ukraine’s territory.

A full-scale invasion of Ukraine was launched by Russia in February 2022.

There has been intense diplomacy over the war this month, with US President Donald Trump meeting his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on 15 August.

The summit was billed as a vital step towards peace in Ukraine. However, despite both leaders claiming the talks were a success, Trump has since shown growing frustration publicly over the lack of a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

The US president has said he is considering either hitting Russia with further economic sanctions or walking away from peace talks.

“I’m going to make a decision as to what we do and it’s going to be, it’s going to be a very important decision, and that’s whether or not it’s mblockive sanctions or mblockive tariffs or both, or we do nothing and say it’s your fight,” Trump said on Friday.

Zelensky has repeatedly called for an unconditional ceasefire and his European allies have also insisted on a halt in fighting.

He has accused Russia of “doing everything it can” to prevent a meeting with Putin to try to end the war.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Putin was ready to meet Ukraine’s leader “when the agenda is ready for a summit, and this agenda is not ready at all”, accusing Zelensky of saying “no to everything”.