Ukraine marks national day with air strikes

Drone sparks fire at Russia nuclear plant

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Ukraine launched a wave of drone strikes on Russia on Sunday, triggering a fire at a nuclear power plant as it celebrated Ukrainian independence day against a backdrop of fading hopes for recent peace efforts.

After a flurry of diplomacy and a push by US President Donald Trump to broker a summit between his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, the prospects for peace appeared to stall on Friday when Russia ruled out any immediate meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The 3.5-year war, which has killed tens of thousands of people, has ground to a virtual stalemate, though Russia has managed to eke out recent advances in a grinding offensive — including claiming two villages in the eastern Donetsk region Saturday.

Ukraine hit back on Sunday by sending drones on fresh attacks on Russian territory, including one that was shot down over the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in western Russia, which detonated upon impact and sparked a fire, according to the facility.