Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned Ukrainians to be vigilant amid fears of a “vicious” Russian attack as they prepare to celebrate Independence Day next week.
In his nightly video address on Saturday, Mr Zelensky said Ukrainians must not allow Moscow to “spread despondency and fear” among them as they mark the 31st anniversary of independence from Soviet rule on Wednesday.
“We must all be aware that this week Russia could try to do something particularly ugly, something particularly vicious,” he said.
It comes after a Russian missile hit a residential area of a southern Ukrainian town not far from a nuclear power station, wounding 12 civilians, Russian and Ukrainian officials said.
That strike hit the Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear station while shelling near the Zaporizhzhia station, Europe’s largest such facility, has heightened fears of a nuclear accident, Ukrainian officials said.
Tension is also running high in Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, where the curfew will be extended for the entire day on Wednesday, regional governor Oleh Synehub said on Saturday.
The north-eastern city is regularly hit by Russian shelling and normally has a curfew from 10pm to 6am but extra precautions will be put in place next week.
While Mr Zelensky has issued a warning to the public ahead of Independence Day, several incicents have reported in Crimea.
Social media footage showed a plume of smoke arising from a location in Sevastopol on Friday evening, which is where the fleet is based.
Governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev later said on his Telegram channel that a drone had targeted the building.
Explosions were also reported at the Russian-operated Saky airfield, where it is thought that several warplanes were damaged.
