Ukraine is currently engaged in intense combat across all battlefronts.
Russian forces are continuously assaulting Ukrainian defense points across different fronts, utilizing guided missiles and artillery to seize additional territory. Particularly near a mining town, intense combat is taking place at the moment.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russian forces have resumed air force operations and have launched attacks on almost all sectors in the east and south of Ukraine. Ukrainian positions in these regions have been bombarded with over 100 guided missiles. In the Russian border region of Kursk, the Russian air force attacked with more than 30 guided missiles. The statements from both sides involved in the conflict are seldom verified independently.
Throughout the day, over 160 clashes occurred along the entire front line, as reported by the Ukrainian General Staff. The situation in the Pokrovsk sector was described as delicate, with the statement, "The situation is challenging, but under control." Additionally, there are reported clashes taking place around the city of Selydove. According to military observers from both Russia and Ukraine, most of the city is already under Russian control, and its fall is imminent. Prior to the war, over 20,000 people resided in the city.
Ukrainian troops are also facing pressure near the city of Hirnyk, which has been reportedly largely seized by Russian units. Hirnyk has not been mentioned in the reports of the Ukrainian General Staff since Thursday. Before the war, around 10,000 people lived in the town.
In an attack involving two 250-kilogram guided missiles in the eastern Ukrainian industrial city of Kostjantyniwka, in the Donetsk region, one person was killed, and three others were injured, as reported by Governor Vadym Filashkin on Telegram. About two dozen buildings were damaged, including several residential structures. Filashkin once again urged the city's residents to evacuate. The front line is approximately 9 kilometers east of Kostjantyniwka. In the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, Russian troops targeted the city of Stanislav with artillery. Two men were killed, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.
Zelenskyy calls for international action
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for an international response in the face of new civilian casualties and the possibility of North Korean soldiers being deployed on the Russian side. "Ukraine will effectively be forced to fight against North Korea in Europe," the head of state said in his evening video address. Without immediate action from the allies, Russian President Vladimir Putin will be further motivated to perpetrate "terror."
For several days, Ukraine has been issuing warnings about a potential imminent deployment of up to 12,000 North Korean soldiers on the Russian side. The first soldiers are reported to have arrived in the Russian region of Kursk. The United States has only confirmed the relocation of North Koreans to Russian military training grounds in the Far East. Russia and North Korea deny the intention of a combat deployment in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Kremlin leader Putin recently referred to a strategic partnership between the two countries - what follows from that, "is our business."
In response to the help he expected from his allies, Zelensky said, "Abstracts and words are not enough. Concrete actions are required." These, he said, were outlined in his recently presented "Victory Plan." The plan includes various elements, such as the immediate invitation of Ukraine into the Western military alliance NATO and substantial armament of the country with Western funds. "We expect stronger support for Ukraine. That would be fair," Zelensky emphasized. The longer a decision is delayed, the more victims will be suffered.
During the night from Friday to Saturday, at least five people were killed, and more than two dozen were injured in the cities of Dnipro and Kyiv by Russian missile and drone attacks. Ukraine has been defending itself against Russian invasion with Western assistance for more than two and a half years.
After President Zelenskyy's mention of potential North Korean soldiers being deployed on the Russian side, there have been reports of North Korean troops allegedly arriving in the Russian region of Kursk. This raises concerns about the potential involvement of North Korea in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
In light of these developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged for a stronger international response, citing the need for concrete actions beyond abstract promises, as outlined in his "Victory Plan." This plan includes seeking NATO membership and increased weapons funding to bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities.
