The Ukraine war is at a decisive moment. While Russia is launching one of the biggest offensives on Ukrainian territory in over three years of conflict, Kiev sees United States cutting military aid shipments, especially ammunition and anti-aircraft defense components. Additionally, North Korea could be planning to contribute to the Russian war effort with between 25,000 and 30,000 additional soldiers in the coming months. And as every night, attacks between the two rivals have resumed.
A woman in her 70s has died and two others have been injured by debris from a destroyed Ukrainian drone in the Lipetsk region, in southwest Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry claims to have destroyed 10 Ukrainian drones overnight over the Lipetsk region and 69 in total over Russian territory and the Crimea peninsula. Meanwhile, five people were injured, including a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl, in a Russian attack on the port of Odesa in southern Ukraine.
U.S. officials have tried to downplay the White House's announcement about the suspension of some arms shipments to Ukraine, stating that President Donald Trump still has military options to help Kiev. Ukraine has been targeted with missile and drone attacks since being invaded by Russia in February 2022, and a disruption in the supply of ammunition, especially for air defense, further weakens it.
Zelenski Arrives in Denmark for the Inauguration of the Danish EU Presidency
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski arrived Thursday morning in Aarhus, western Denmark, for the start of the Danish presidency of the European Union, as announced by the Danish government in a statement, reports Afp.
"The Danish presidency will do everything possible to help Ukraine on its path to EU accession," said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, one of the most fervent European supporters of Ukraine against the Russian invasion. "We must strengthen Ukraine on one hand and weaken Russia on the other," she added, according to the statement.
Russian Forces Capture Two Settlements in Eastern Ukraine
The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Thursday the capture of a town in the northeastern region of Kharkiv, where Moscow aims to create a security zone to prevent Ukrainian attacks on its western border, according to authorities, reports Efe.
"The town of Milove in the Kharkiv region was liberated," the military note states. According to Russian military, their enemy lost over 240 soldiers in that sector of the front during the previous day.
In addition, Defense reported the conquest of the town of Razino in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Milove is located on the border with Russia and had nearly five hundred inhabitants before the start of the war.
North Korea Could Send Up to 30,000 New Soldiers to Russia
North Korea plans to contribute to the Russian war effort with between 25,000 and 30,000 additional soldiers in the coming months, according to anonymous Ukrainian sources who spoke to the U.S. network CNN, reports Efe.
According to information obtained by Kiev's military intelligence, there are "high probabilities" that these soldiers will be deployed in areas of Ukraine occupied by Russia where combat is currently taking place.
North Korea already sent nearly 11,000 soldiers to Russia late last year who joined Russian forces trying to expel Ukrainian troops occupying part of the territory in the Russian region of Kursk, bordering Ukraine.
Russia has managed to expel Ukrainians from most of the territory they controlled, although they are still present in a small part of Kursk and continue to operate there.
Russia Attacks Army Recruitment Center in Ukraine
At least two people died and ten were injured in a Russian attack on Thursday in Poltava, in central-eastern Ukraine, announced rescue services. The army attributed the impact of a shot to one of its recruitment centers, reports Afp.
Ukraine Starts Producing Drones in the UK
A Ukrainian company has started producing drones in the UK in cooperation with a British company, in one of the first projects of this kind to materialize after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski announced Kiev's plans to transfer arms manufacturing to allied countries, reports Efe.
Skyeton, a Ukrainian unmanned aerial systems company, and Prevail Partners, a British company specializing in defense and security, announced in a statement that they will accelerate production volume, supply, and support for integrating the best drones into British Army technology.
Zelenski recently announced a series of agreements to co-produce weapons with the UK and other European countries.
Ukrainian Army Reports Several Dead and Injured in Russian Attack in Poltava
A Russian attack on the city of Poltava, in central Ukraine, caused casualties and injuries, as well as damage to a military recruitment center, reported Ukrainian ground forces on Thursday, reports Reuters.
The attack caused fires in the military recruitment building and in a nearby residential building, according to a statement.
Zelenski Appeals to US Investors in Ukraine to Ensure Aid Continues
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski met with American investors in Ukraine to ask them to use their influence in the country to ensure the continuity of military aid shipments to Kiev, after Washington announced a pause in this flow to assess if the U.S. has enough arms reserves to continue providing this type of assistance, reports Efe.
Zelenski particularly emphasized the importance of Ukraine continuing to receive air defense military equipment and stated that it provides "protection for all companies operating in our state."
Over 70,000 Ukrainians Missing
Approximately 70,000 people, including soldiers and civilians, are still missing, according to Arthur Dobrosserdov, a Ukrainian official in charge of this delicate matter at the Ministry of the Interior, reports Afp.
Regarding soldiers, they are considered missing until Russia confirms they are prisoners or their remains have been identified. This operation is not always possible due to ongoing combat.
Between the positions of the Ukrainian and Russian armies, a "no man's land" has formed along the front, preventing the safe collection of bodies.
Moscow claims to have identified thousands of them. The Red Cross and a Ukrainian government agency are also working to find them. At the same time, families are investigating with their own resources, explained Petro Yatsenko, a spokesperson for the organization.
Attack on Ukrainian Restaurant in Estonia Ordered by Russian Intelligence
An incendiary attack on a restaurant and supermarket in Estonia last year was ordered by Russian intelligence, a court in Estonia stated on Wednesday.
The attack was one of a series across Europe tracked by The Associated Press and linked to Russia by Western officials. The goal, they claimed, is to sow division in Western societies and undermine support for Ukraine.
The Harju County Court in Estonia indicated that the perpetrators were two Moldovan men who are cousins, both named Ivan Chihaial. One was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for the incendiary attack on the restaurant and supermarket, which the court said was carried out on behalf of Russia's security services.