Drone Attacks, Street Fighting, and North Korea’s Involvement Escalate Tensions in Ukraine

In Kharkiv, Russian strikes injured at least 12 people, resulting in a blackout, as reported by AFP. An airstrike also targeted critical infrastructure in the Sumy region, causing a power outage there as well. In Kryvyi Rih, a rocket attack left four people injured.

The capital, Kyiv, faced a significant drone attack, damaging residential buildings. Ukrainian authorities reported that one person sustained injuries from debris following the interception of the drones, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russia’s ambassador in Seoul to protest the deployment of North Korean troops to Ukraine. South Korean intelligence last week claimed to have images showing about 1,500 North Korean soldiers arriving in Russia to support Moscow's efforts in the conflict. These troops are reportedly part of a larger force of around 12,000 North Korean personnel set to aid Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for sanctions against Pyongyang, denouncing this as the first involvement of a third state in the war.

Zelensky expressed alarm over the deepening alliance between Russia and North Korea, which he called "malign." In a post on "X", he warned that North Korea’s involvement could escalate the conflict further, urging global leaders to take action against this alliance and the flow of weapons from North Korea to Russia. Zelensky stated that North Korean military personnel have been deployed to Russia and demanded a "fair response" from Ukraine’s international allies.

Zelensky stressed the threat posed by North Korea's participation, noting that it would only prolong the war if left unchecked. "If the world remains silent now, and if we face North Korean soldiers on the front lines as regularly as we are defending against drones, it will benefit no one," he said. South Korean intelligence confirmed these developments, revealing that North Korean troops had traveled to Russia on seven ships, inspected personally by Kim Jong Un. The agency also reported frequent flights between Vladivostok and Pyongyang by large Russian transport aircraft.

In the eastern Ukrainian city of Selydove, intense street fighting is underway between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Russian troops have been encircling towns in the Donetsk region in recent weeks, marking their fastest advance since the war’s onset. Pro-Russian bloggers released videos showing heavy shelling in Selydove. On Sunday night, the Ukrainian General Staff confirmed that Ukrainian troops repelled 41 attacks in several areas, including Selydove, where four battles are ongoing. Russia currently controls roughly 80% of the Donbas region, pushing westward along a 100-kilometer stretch around the strategic towns of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove.