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...