Putin-Zelensky Meeting Off: Ukraine Strikes Moscow Nuclear and Gas Plants in Bold Escalation

Geopolitical tensions hit explosive new levels as Ukraine targets Russia's critical energy infrastructure—sending shockwaves through global markets.

Nuclear facilities and gas plants in Moscow became unexpected battlegrounds, marking a dangerous shift in conflict tactics. The strikes represent a calculated escalation that bypasses traditional frontlines.

Kremlin officials immediately shut down speculation about diplomatic resolutions. No plans for Putin-Zelensky talks—just hardened positions and retaliatory threats.

Energy markets twitched at the news, though traders barely paused from their latte-sipping—after all, war premiums just mean bigger bonuses this quarter.

This isn't just warfare—it's economic disruption on a grand scale. And while politicians posture, the real casualties might be stability itself.

Ukraine attacks Kursk reactor and oil pipeline in the same 24 hours

During Ukraine’s 34th Independence Day, drone strikes hit the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in western Russia, NEAR the Ukrainian border. Reactor number three’s capacity dropped by 50 percent, and Russian officials said other power infrastructure also got hit in the overnight strikes.

According to the plant’s news update on Telegram, the fire was put out quickly, nobody was hurt, and radiation levels stayed normal. Two other reactors are still operating but aren’t producing power, while one remains shut for repairs.

The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that radiation readings near the site were stable, posting, “Monitoring confirms normal radiation levels near Kursk NPP” on X.

Alexander Khinshtein, the acting governor of Kursk, said the plant is just 60 kilometers from the border and called the drone strikes a breach of “all international conventions.” He called the attack a threat to nuclear safety, a line Moscow has used many times when its energy sites come under fire.

But Ukraine wasn’t done yet. Robert Brovdi, who commands Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, confirmed they also went after the Unecha pumping station in Bryansk, which is part of the Druzhba oil pipeline.

That pipeline still sends Russian crude to Hungary and Slovakia—the only two EU countries still taking fuel from Moscow. Bryansk’s governor Alexander Bogomaz said Himars rockets and drones were both used in the attack.

The hit forced a total shutdown of oil deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia. Their foreign ministers, Péter Szijjártó and Juraj Blanár, told the European Commission that the suspension could last five days or more.

In a letter, they wrote, “The physical and geographical reality is that without this pipeline, the SAFE supply of our countries is simply not possible.” Hungary gets more than half its crude from Druzhba, and this was the third time in a short period the system got hit.

On Facebook, Szijjártó called it “another attack on the energy security of our country. Another attempt to drag us into war.”

While the EU keeps rallying behind Kyiv with weapons and aid, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has stayed on the sidelines. He hasn’t supported military, political, or economic packages for Ukraine.

And just last year, he flew to Moscow and held one-on-one talks with Putin, making him one of the only European leaders to do that since the full invasion started.

Now with fuel to Hungary and Slovakia blocked and a nuclear site in Russia on fire, the gap between Trump’s version of progress and the actual events on the ground keeps getting wider.

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