A Russian drone strikes spent nuclear fuel storage at Chornobyl, Bolivia authorizes military force against civilian protesters, the Pentagon elevates its espionage threat assessment of Israel to critical, Nigerian troops rescue hundreds of Boko Haram captives, and a mass shooting wounds twelve at an Ohio street festival. Here is your evening roundup for Saturday, June 7.
Russian Drone Hits Spent Nuclear Fuel Facility at Chornobyl
A Russian drone struck a building storing spent nuclear fuel inside the Chornobyl exclusion zone early Saturday, Ukrainian officials confirmed, reigniting fears of a radiological disaster at the site of the world’s worst nuclear accident. The State Emergency Service said the strike ignited a fire that was brought under control within hours, but radiation monitors in the area registered a brief spike before returning to normal levels. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was seeking urgent clarification from Moscow and dispatched a rapid-assessment team. Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy called the attack “nuclear terrorism without precedent,” while Russia’s Defense Ministry denied targeting the facility, claiming the drone was Ukrainian. The strike came on the same day that Russia rejected Zelenskyy’s latest ceasefire proposal and as Ukrainian drone swarms targeted an oil depot near St. Petersburg.
Bolivia Authorizes Military Force Against Protesters
Bolivia’s legislature passed a controversial law on Saturday granting the armed forces explicit authority to deploy against civilian demonstrators, a move opposition leaders and human rights organizations condemned as a dangerous escalation. The law, pushed by President Luis Arce’s governing party after weeks of road blockades and fuel shortages, removes a longstanding legal barrier that required civilian courts to authorize military involvement in domestic unrest. Arce said the measure was necessary to restore order and guarantee food and medical supplies to cities cut off by protesters. The country’s ombudsman called it “a green light for repression,” and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights urged Bolivia to retract the legislation immediately. At least four protesters have been killed in clashes with security forces since the blockades began in late May.
Pentagon Raises Israel Espionage Threat to Critical
The United States Department of Defense has elevated its internal threat assessment of Israeli intelligence operations on American soil to “critical,” the highest level on its classification scale, according to two officials familiar with the determination. The upgrade, first reported Saturday, reflects growing concern within the Pentagon that Israeli espionage — including efforts to surveil U.S. policy deliberations on Iran and the Middle East — has intensified beyond what counterintelligence chiefs previously estimated. The move comes amid the 100th day of the U.S.-Iran conflict and strains in the Washington-Tel Aviv relationship over the scope and conduct of Israel’s military operations. Israeli officials dismissed the report as “baseless,” and a spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington called it “a disservice to a steadfast ally.” The Pentagon’s threat rating is used to allocate counterintelligence resources and triggers mandatory security briefings for personnel with access to sensitive Middle East policy information.
Nigerian Army Frees 360 From Boko Haram Captivity
Nigeria’s military announced Saturday that it had freed 360 people — including women and children — held captive by Boko Haram in the country’s northeast Borno state, in one of the largest single rescue operations in the decade-long insurgency. A military spokesperson said troops overran two fortified camps near the Sambisa Forest during a three-day offensive, killing dozens of fighters and seizing weapons caches. Some of the freed captives had been held for more than two years. Aid organizations said many of the rescued civilians were severely malnourished and would require sustained medical and psychological care. The operation came as Nigeria’s government faces mounting public pressure over worsening security across the country’s north, where Boko Haram and splinter groups have displaced more than two million people.
