- Fire at Sapporo nuclear power plant apparently extinguished
In the Russian-occupied nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhia in Enerhodar, southern Ukraine, a fire broke out at the cooling system in the evening, according to Russian reports. The fire was fully extinguished later that night, as reported by a Russian-appointed official on Telegram.
The Russian-appointed governor of the region, Eugene Balitsky, stated earlier that there had been a Ukrainian attack on the area around the power plant, but there was no danger as all blocks of the NPP were shut down and radiation levels were normal. In the morning, Balitsky reported that security measures at all strategically important facilities in the region had been increased on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
From the Russian side, it was reported that a Ukrainian combat drone had caused significant damage to the infrastructure of the NPP. These claims could not be independently verified at first.
Zelensky: Radiation levels normal after fire at NPP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of setting fire to the NPP. Although radiation levels are normal, Zelensky wrote on the X platform, "But as long as the Russian terrorists control the nuclear power plant, the situation cannot be normal." He called for an immediate reaction from the international community and the IAEA.
Russia seized Europe's largest nuclear power plant shortly after the start of its invasion and has been occupying it since. Both sides blame each other for attacks on the power plant or sabotage. Russia has repeatedly complained about Ukrainian drone attacks. Due to safety concerns, the reactors were shut down in 2022 but still need to be cooled. IAEA observers are stationed on the site.
Ukrainians push further into Kursk
Regular Ukrainian troops have continued their advance into Russian territory in the Kursk region. Neither the Russian nor the Ukrainian side provided precise details about the advance, but Russian military bloggers reported that the Ukrainians were pushing further into Russian territory and that there were heavy fights for numerous settlements. Mobile combat groups of the Ukrainians, who repeatedly exploited front gaps for quick attacks, caused great problems for the Russian units and inflicted heavy losses on them.
The acting governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, reported on the Telegram platform that more means and reinforcements were on their way. "Meanwhile, the armed forces are doing everything to protect the civilian population." The General Staff in Kyiv provided few details about the actual combat situation in the area of Kursk. In the situation report, it was only stated that Russian long-range artillery and combat aircraft were targeting the area around Sumy. This zone is considered a deployment and supply area for the Ukrainian units in the Kursk region.
Russia continues attacks in eastern Ukraine
Apart from the fighting around the Ukrainian advance into Russian territory in Kursk, Russian troops have continued their attacks in eastern Ukraine. The main areas of combat were around Torez and Pokrovsk, as reported by the Ukrainian General Staff in Kyiv.
Intense battles were reportedly registered near Pokrovsk on the outskirts of Donbass. Russian units attempted to break through Ukrainian defense lines 26 times since morning, all of which were repelled. Independent confirmation of these reports was not possible. In Torezk, Russian troops once again attempted to advance towards the village of New York, but these attacks were also repulsed. Additionally, Torezk was targeted by Russian air strikes.
Zelenskyy: Russian Launch Sites Precise Recorded
Ukraine has a precise overview of the locations within Russia from which rockets, artillery, or combat drones are fired at Ukrainian cities. "We are registering all the locations from which the Russian army is striking," said President Zelenskyy in his evening video address. This applies to the regions of Voronezh, Kursk, and Belgorod, as well as other areas of Russia.
Since the beginning of summer, nearly 2000 attacks on the Ukrainian region of Sumy have been launched from the Kursk region – artillery, mortars, drones. "We are recording every rocket impact, and each of these attacks deserves an appropriate response." Zelenskyy announced a swift response to these attacks. "We will respond with long-range strikes on Russian rocket launch sites and the corresponding destruction of Russian military logistics," he said. However, he will need to speak again with Ukraine's partners to obtain their permission to use the heavy weapons they have supplied for attacks on targets within Russian territory. "Just as air defense protects lives, lifting restrictions on long-range strikes will save thousands of lives."
Kyiv has been negotiating with Western partners for months to obtain permission to use rockets and other heavy weapons against military and logistical targets within Russia. So far, the Ukrainian military can only use drones of its own production for such attacks, but these unmanned aircraft have limited explosive power.
Russia attacked Ukraine overnight Saturday with rockets and so-called kamikaze drones. The constant nightly attacks are causing unrest among the civilian population, with heavy damage and casualties reported in many places.
The accusation of setting fire to the NPP by Ukrainian President Zelensky is strongly denied by Russia, who instead blame Ukrainian drone attacks as the cause of infrastructure damage at Zaporizhzhia. Despite this ongoing dispute, other strategic facilities in the region have seen increased security measures as a precaution.
In the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian troops have pushed further into Russian territory in the Kursk region, causing significant problems for Russian units and inflicting heavy losses. Russian military bloggers reported heavy fights for numerous settlements, with Russian forces targeting the area around Sumy in response.
