Russia Accuses Ukraine of Drone Attack on Kursk Nuclear Plant

On August 24, 2025, Russia accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in western Russia's Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine’s Sumy region. The attack, which coincided with Ukraine’s 34th Independence Day, caused a fire and damaged an auxiliary transformer, leading to a 50 percent reduction in the operating capacity of reactor number three, according to Russian officials. The fire was quickly extinguished, with no injuries reported, and the plant’s news service confirmed that radiation levels remained normal. Two other reactors at the facility are not generating power, and one is under scheduled maintenance.

Alexander Khinshtein, the acting governor of Kursk, condemned the attack as a threat to nuclear safety and a violation of international conventions. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that radiation levels near the plant were normal. Both Russia and Ukraine have previously accused each other of targeting nuclear facilities, including the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southeastern Ukraine, raising fears of a potential nuclear accident.

In a separate incident, a fire broke out at the port of Ust-Luga in Russia’s Leningrad region after debris from intercepted Ukrainian drones sparked a blaze. Russia’s Ministry of Defence reported intercepting 95 Ukrainian drones over its territory overnight. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force said it downed or jammed 48 of the 72 drones and decoys, along with a cruise missile, launched by Russia during the same period. The attacks occurred as Ukraine marked its Independence Day, commemorating its 1991 break from the Soviet Union. In a video address from Kyiv’s Independence Square, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine’s determination to achieve a “just peace” and build a secure future. He also alluded to recent U.S.-Russia talks in Alaska, expressing concerns that Ukrainian interests might be sidelined. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized Zelenskyy for demanding an immediate meeting with President Vladimir Putin and accused Ukraine of attempting to derail peace efforts brokered by Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. Lavrov stated that no meeting between the two leaders was currently planned. Amid ongoing diplomatic tensions, fighting continued in eastern Ukraine, with Russia claiming to have captured two villages in the Donetsk region on Saturday. On Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Kyiv to reaffirm Canada’s support, while Norway pledged $695 million in military aid for Ukrainian air defense systems.

This is an ongoing story, with both sides continuing to exchange accusations as the conflict persists.