A fire broke out at a nuclear power plant in Russia’s western Kursk region after a drone attack that Moscow has blamed on Ukraine, Russian officials said on Sunday. The incident, which damaged a transformer, occurred as Ukraine celebrated its Independence Day, marking 33 years since declaring freedom from the Soviet Union in 1991.
According to a statement posted on the plant’s official Telegram account, the blaze was quickly extinguished and no casualties were reported. Radiation levels in the area remained within normal limits. Russian air defences had intercepted the Ukrainian drone before it detonated, officials added.
Kyiv has not commented on the allegations. The Kursk region is a sensitive area in the ongoing conflict, with Ukrainian forces briefly staging a surprise cross-border incursion there last year. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly urged both Russia and Ukraine to exercise restraint near nuclear facilities, warning of potential global consequences should fighting escalate around such sites.
The attack comes amid renewed international focus on Ukraine. In London, the UK government raised Ukrainian flags above Downing Street to mark the anniversary, while Defence Secretary John Healey pledged to extend Britain’s military training programme for Ukrainian soldiers until at least the end of 2026 under Operation Interflex.
Meanwhile, the battlefield remains highly contested. Russia announced on Saturday that its forces had seized two villages in the Donetsk region. Moscow now controls around 20% of Ukrainian territory, though its advances have been described as slow and costly.
Diplomatic efforts to end the war have also intensified. Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in what was billed as a key step toward peace. While both leaders claimed progress, Trump has since voiced frustration over the lack of tangible results, warning that he may impose fresh economic sanctions or tariffs on Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to demand an unconditional ceasefire, accusing Moscow of stalling talks. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, however, insists that no summit with Zelensky can take place until an agreed agenda is established.
As the war drags on, the Kursk incident underscores both the volatility of the battlefield and the fragile state of diplomatic negotiations.
