London – Russia launched drones and a missile to Ukraine during the night until Sunday, said the Air Force in kyiv, when the country began celebrations of Independence Day that mark the anniversary of its declaration of independence of 1991 of the Soviet Union.
The Ukraine Air Force said Russia launched 72 drones and an ISKANDER-M ballistic missile in the country in its last night flood, of which 48 drones were intercepted or suppressed. The missile and 24 drones affected 10 locations, said the Air Force.
On Sunday morning, the office of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy published a statement for Mark 34 years of independence, in which Zelenskyy said that the previous 1,278 days of war with Russia constitute the “war for independence” of the country.
Ukraine marks its independence day amid the efforts led by the United States to end the large -scale invasion of the country of Russia, which began in February 2022 and continued almost a decade of cross -border aggression and monopolization of lands of Moscow.
The Independence Monument is shown as the Ukrainian flags blow in the wind in kyiv, Ukraine on August 23, 2025.
Are Kilpatrick/AP
Zelenskyy published on social networks to share a letter from the president of the United States, Donald Trump, in which the US leader said that the Ukrainian people “has an unwavering spirit, and the courage of his country inspires many. The United States respects his struggle, honors his sacrifices and believes in his future as an independent nation.”
“Now is the time to put an end to the meaningless murder,” Trump continued, asking for a “negotiated settlement that leads to lasting and lasting peace that ends with the spill of blood and safeguardes the sovereignty and dignity of Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his letter. “We appreciate their kind words for the Ukrainian people, and we thank the United States for being shoulders with Ukraine with Ukraine to defend what is more valuable: independence, freedom and guaranteed peace,” Zelenskyy wrote.
“We believe that by working together, we can end this war and achieve real peace for Ukraine,” he added.
Ukraine continued his own long -range attacks against Russia during the night, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The Russian forces demolished 95 Ukrainian drones in 14 regions during the last exchange, the ministry said in a Sunday morning statement.
At least one drone was shot down as he approached Moscow, local officials said with at least six demolished over the Leningrad and St. Petersburg region, according to the Ministry of Defense.
According to local authorities, two people were injured by attacks with unmanned airplanes in the Western Russian region of Bryansk, with local authorities, with damage reported to homes and cars.
There were reports of explosions related to drones attacks in the Syzran oil refinery in the Samara region, as well as a fire in the Novatek gas terminal in the port of UST-Luga, west of St. Petersburg.
The Ukrainian military practices an anti -tank weapon during training in the Jharkiv region, Ukraine, on August 23, 2025.
Sofiia Gatilova/Reuters
The Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia, Rosaviatsiya, reported temporary flight restrictions in at least 11 airports in Russia, even on PSKOV, Saratov, Volgograda and St. Petersburg.
In the western region of Kursk, the authorities said that a demolished Ukrainian drone caused a fire in the Kursk nuclear energy plant. “After the impact, the drone detonated, which resulted in damages to an auxiliary transformer,” wrote the Plant Press in Telegram.
The statement said the radiation levels were normal and that there was no immediate danger.
The International Atomic Energy Agency told X that its general director Rafael Grossi emphasized that “each nuclear installation must be protected at all times.”
Natalya Kushnir, Anna Sergeeva and Dragana Jovanovic of ABC News contributed to this report.
