Russia on Sunday accused Ukraine of launching overnight drone strikes that caused a fire at a nuclear power plant in its western Kursk region, as Ukrainians celebrated 34 years of independence from the former Soviet Union. Russian officials said several power and energy facilities were targeted in the strikes. A transformer at the Kursk nuclear plant was damaged, though the blaze was quickly extinguished with no casualties reported. Radiation levels remained within safe ranges, according to the plant's press office. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was aware of reports that the fire was triggered by "military activity" but had not independently confirmed the details. IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi reiterated that "every nuclear facility must be protected at all times." Ukraine did not immediately comment on Moscow's allegations. In Russia's Leningrad region, firefighters also battled a blaze at the port of Ust-Luga, home to a key fuel export terminal. The regional governor said debris from about 10 downed Ukrainian drones sparked the fire. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses intercepted 95 Ukrainian drones across its territory overnight. Ukraine's air force said Russia, in turn, launched 72 drones and decoys, along with a cruise missile, against Ukrainian targets, of which 48 were downed or jammed. The strikes came as Ukraine marked Independence Day, commemorating its 1991 break from the Soviet Union. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in Kyiv's Independence Square, vowed resilience in the face of Russia's invasion, now in its third year. "We are building a Ukraine that will have enough strength and power to live in security and peace," Zelenskyy said, calling for a "just peace." He added: "What our future will be is up to us alone. The world knows this. And the world respects this." U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg attended the celebrations in Kyiv, where Zelenskyy awarded him the Ukrainian Order of Merit. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also arrived Sunday for talks, while Norway pledged nearly $700 million in fresh military aid, including funding for Patriot air defense systems in partnership with Germany. Meanwhile, fighting raged in eastern Ukraine. Russia claimed to have seized two villages in the Donetsk region as frontline clashes intensified. — Agencies
