Ukraine launches drone strikes on its independence day
Ukraine marked its Independence Day on August 24th by carrying out a series of drone attacks against Russia, with one setting off a fire at a nuclear power plant, Arab News reported via AFP.
There have been several diplomatic attempts in recent weeks, including an initiative by United States President Donald Trump to arrange a meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, but there has been little progress.
On August 22nd, Moscow announced that no talks between the two leaders were currently planned, dealing a blow to hopes of negotiations.
More than three years into the war, Russia has made only limited gains, most recently claiming two villages in the Donetsk region. The conflict has caused widespread destruction and taken tens of thousands of lives.
The drone attack that hit the nuclear power facility in Kursk briefly sparked a fire that was later contained. Authorities assured that it led to no injuries and caused no change in radiation levels.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly voiced concern about the risks of military operations near nuclear plants.
Other Russian regions also came under attack. Ten drones were intercepted over the port of Ust Luga, causing a fire at a Novatek fuel terminal. Additional drones were shot down near Saint Petersburg.
These operations have targeted Russian energy supplies, a vital source of funding for the war, contributing to rising fuel prices inside Russia. The conflict has also had spillover effects in neighbouring countries. On August 18th, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced that Russian oil deliveries to Hungary had been suspended after what he said was a Ukrainian strike on a key pipeline. He denounced the attack as “outrageous and unacceptable” and accused Kyiv of deliberately endangering Hungary’s energy.
Meanwhile, Moscow continued its own assaults. Ukraine reported that it faced 72 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight along with a ballistic missile. The air force claimed to have destroyed most of them, but at least one Russian strike killed a civilian in Dnipropetrovsk.
Independence Day gave Zelensky a stage to reaffirm Ukraine’s resilience. “This is how Ukraine strikes when its calls for peace are ignored,” he declared, emphasising that “Ukraine is not a victim; it is a fighter.”
Foreign leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, marked the occasion with statements of support, though prospects for an end to the war remain distant.
Arab News via AFP, Maghrebi.org
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