Fire reaches Russian nuclear plant after drone attack

Meanwhile, the fighting continued on the front line in eastern Ukraine, where Russia said on Saturday that its forces took two villages in the Donetsk region. The offensive is seen as an attempt by Moscow to gain advantage in US mediated peace negotiations.

Ukraine celebrates Independence Day

The incidents occurred while Ukraine celebrated Independence Day, in memory of its emancipation of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski made a video statement from Independence Square in Kiev.

“Our future depends only on us. And the world knows this. And the world respects that. He respects Ukraine. He sees Ukraine as equal,” he said, in reference to the US-Russian summit in Alaska, held in early August, which raised fears that Ukrainian and European interests would be stunned.

United States Special Envoy Keith Kellogg participated in the celebrations in Kiev, when Zelenski has awarded him with the Order of Merit of Ukraine, 1st Class. Canada Prime Minister Mark Carnery was also at the event.

Norway took the opportunity to launch a new package of military aid, promising about 7 billion Norwegian crowns (R $ 3.7 billion) for Ukrainian air defense systems. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said Norway and Germany are jointly funding two Patriot systems, including missiles, and OSLO aids the acquisition of air defense radars.