Russia has launched a massive wave of drone and missile attacks against Ukraine, deliberately targeting critical energy infrastructure that powers nuclear facilities and killing at least seven people across multiple regions.
Nuclear Safety Deliberately Compromised
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed on Saturday that Russia is again targeting substations powering the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear plants. In a statement posted on X, Sybiha emphasised these were not accidental strikes but well-planned attacks, declaring that "Russia is deliberately endangering nuclear safety in Europe".
The weekend assaults involved an enormous barrage of weaponry, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reporting that Russian forces launched more than 450 drones and 45 missiles at Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian air defences successfully intercepted most of the projectiles, but significant damage occurred to energy infrastructure across three regions.
Civilian Casualties Mount
The human cost of the attacks became tragically clear as rescue operations continued throughout Saturday. In the city of Dnipro, three people died and twelve were wounded when a Russian drone struck an apartment building, with emergency services working extensively at the damaged residential block.
Further casualties were reported in other regions, with one person killed in the Kharkiv region and three more fatalities in the south-eastern Zaporizhzhia region, according to local officials. The coordinated nature of the attacks suggests a strategic effort to overwhelm Ukrainian defences while targeting critical infrastructure.
Nuclear Tensions Escalate
Amid the conventional warfare, nuclear tensions continued to rise. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that work was underway to prepare proposals for a possible Russian nuclear test, following President Vladimir Putin's order. This development comes in response to former US President Donald Trump's surprise announcement last month about resuming American testing.
Relations between Russia and the United States have deteriorated sharply in recent weeks, primarily due to Trump's frustration about the lack of progress toward ending the Ukraine conflict. The nuclear rhetoric marks a dangerous escalation in global tensions.
In a positive development for nuclear safety, Russian operators at the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant reported that a second external power line had been restored on Saturday. Europe's largest nuclear facility, which was seized by Russian troops in the early weeks of the February 2022 invasion, currently produces no electricity but requires external power to cool nuclear fuel and prevent a potential meltdown.
Sanctions Evasion and Innovative Defence
The conflict continues to reveal complexities in international sanctions enforcement. New data shows that millions of tonnes of Russian oil have been traded through a Singapore port part-owned by Australia's Macquarie Bank, potentially reaching Australian businesses despite sanctions. Australia has imported more than 3 million tonnes of Russian-originating oil products since 2023, according to the Europe-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Meanwhile, Hungary announced it had obtained an indefinite waiver from US sanctions to use Russian oil and gas, though White House officials quickly clarified the exemption was valid for one year only. Hungary's heavy reliance on Russian energy has created ongoing diplomatic challenges within the Western alliance.
On the battlefield, Ukrainian defenders have turned to an unlikely resource to counter Russian drones: discarded French fishing nets. Fishing ports in Brittany are supplying old horsehair fishing nets, previously considered waste, which Ukrainians use to create tunnels that entangle the propellers of Russian explosive-laden drones. These inexpensive drones can be directed by remote control for distances up to 25 kilometres, making them a persistent threat that requires creative countermeasures.
The situation remains fluid as the conflict enters its 1,355th day, with nuclear safety concerns growing alongside conventional military threats and complex international diplomatic challenges.
