The situation in the war is becoming increasingly difficult for Ukraine. Russian troops continue to advance in the east. At least three people were killed in an air strike on Kharkiv. The Ukrainian army, on the other hand, lacks everything.
Before the start of the third winter of war, the situation for Ukraine in the fight against the attackers is becoming increasingly difficult. Russian troops are advancing ever further in the east of the country.
Your next important destination is likely to be the industrial city of Pokrovsk. The city administration said the enemy was only seven kilometers from the city in the Donetsk region. At the moment, around 12,000 people are still holding out in Pokrovsk, including children, although around 80 percent of the infrastructure has already been destroyed.
The Ukrainians recently lost the town of Selydove near Pokrovsk. This means that attacks on Pokrovsk can also come from the south. According to Ukrainian information, Russian troops are exerting just as much pressure on the front line in the city of Kurakhove. The military also reported fighting around the outlying town of Kurakhivka, and Ukrainian military blogs see the place already under Russian control.
Conflict parties as a source
In the current situation, information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by official bodies of the Russian and Ukrainian parties to the conflict cannot be directly verified by an independent body.
Russia reports capture of Yasna Polyana
Meanwhile, Moscow reported the capture of the village of Yasna Polyana in southern Donbass. Before the start of the Russian war of aggression, fewer than 500 people lived in the village. It is not far from the city of Wuhledar, which recently fell to the Russian army.
Map of Ukraine and Russia, light hatched: territories occupied by Russia
Three dead in bomb attack on Kharkiv
But Russia is also continuing to attack other regions: According to regional authorities, around ten rockets were recently fired at the port city of Odessa alone – through which Ukraine's grain exports go – and its surrounding area.
According to authorities, at least three people were killed and 29 others were injured in a bomb attack on a building in the northeastern Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv. The search work is continuing, the authorities said. The building hit is in danger of collapsing.
Worry about thousands North Korean soldiers
In addition to the attacks, there is growing concern in Ukraine that around 10,000 North Korean soldiers could soon support the Russian ones. The US Department of Defense also expressed “increasing concern” about this development. Some of the North Koreans sent to Russia have already been moved closer to Ukraine. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said: “We see that they are wearing Russian uniforms and are equipped with Russian equipment.”
EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell called on North Korea to stop supporting Russia's war of aggression. It was a unilateral, hostile act by North Korea with serious consequences for peace and security in Europe and worldwide. Borrell plans to travel to Japan and South Korea for consultations this week.
Moscow justifies cooperation with Pyongyang
Meanwhile, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya justified military cooperation with North Korea in the UN Security Council. This is not directed against third parties. However, Moscow intends to further develop its cooperation with North Korea in the future, and no one can stop us from doing so, said Nebenzia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also does not deny the presence of North Korean soldiers. He points out that Ukraine relies on personnel from NATO countries.
Ukrainian army lacks everything
And the Ukrainian army? It lacks weapons, ammunition – and, above all, personnel. The mobilization of 160,000 men is apparently planned – but it could take a long time before they are operational.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed a report in the New York Times that he had asked the United States for Tomahawk cruise missiles to deter Russia in the future. Tomahawks have a maximum range of a good 2,400 kilometers and can theoretically reach major Russian cities such as St. Petersburg, Moscow and even Yekaterinburg in the Urals from Ukrainian soil.
