Kyiv Intensifies Strikes as Russia Claims Drone Attack on Nuclear Plant

Kyiv on Sunday initiated new attacks on Russian energy facilities. These strikes aimed at derailing resources Moscow uses in its ongoing invasion. Ukrainian forces targeted the Saratov oil refinery, causing a fire. This refinery, owned by Russia’s state oil enterprise Rosneft, supports Moscow’s military activities. Russian Governor Roman Busargin acknowledged the attacks but offered little detail. Astra, an independent Russian news outlet, confirmed a fire at a Saratov refinery.

Ukraine has increased attacks on Russia’s energy sector, asserting that these resources fuel the invasion. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy celebrated the targeting of the Saratov refinery, approximately 700 kilometers from the front line, as a major success. Drone debris also ignited a depot in Russia’s Rostov region, adjacent to Russian-occupied Ukraine, prompting evacuations. Ukrainian officials confirmed their involvement in this operation. Additionally, Ukrainian forces struck the Lazarevo pumping station in Russia’s Kirov region, far from Ukraine-controlled territory. This station delivers Siberian oil to Belarus. Russian officials noted damage but provided few specifics.

Nuclear Plant Attack Denial

Kyiv denied that a Ukrainian drone struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest in Europe. Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear entity, reported a drone-induced explosion at the facility’s turbine hall. CEO Alexei Likhachev accused Ukraine of a deliberate strike. Ukraine dismissed these allegations as propaganda. According to the military, international humanitarian law prohibits targeting nuclear sites. Rafael Grossi, head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog IAEA, expressed concern. Inspectors reported slight damage but normal radiation levels. They requested further access for examination.

Russian forces captured the Zaporizhzhia plant early in the conflict. The site has faced numerous attacks, raising concerns of potential nuclear incidents. Both Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for these actions.

Abducted Ukrainian Children and Evidence Allegations

In a CBS ‘Face the Nation’ interview, Zelenskyy accused Russia of treating abducted Ukrainian children as combatants. He claimed Ukrainians are forced to fight against compatriots. Zelenskyy also alleged forced separations of siblings, partial adoptions, and prisoner swaps involving children. He indicated evidence of Russia’s extensive abductions but provided few details. Tens of thousands of children have reportedly been transferred to Russia or Russian-held zones.

The EU recently sanctioned officials and centers connected to these activities. These allegations also prompted an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for Russian President Vladimir Putin on war crime charges.

Continuous Drone Attacks

The Ukrainian air force reported the destruction of 212 out of 299 Russian-launched drones overnight. Despite this success, some drones reached their targets, causing damage in several areas. In Ukraine’s Chernihiv region, a drone strike led to one fatality. Additional Russian drone attacks occurred in Dnipro and Rivne, resulting in casualties and fires.