As the war enters its 687th day, these are the main 1battlefield developments:
• Two Russian S-300 missiles struck a hotel in the center of northeastern Kharkiv injuring 11 people, including journalists, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov. Several other buildings, including two apartment blocks, were also damaged.
• At least one person was killed in a Russian-guided bomb attack on the village of Olkhovatka in the Kupiansk district of the Kharkiv region, according to Oleg Sinegubov, the head of the regional military administration. 10 private homes, a shop and a school were damaged, he added.
• Authorities in Belgorod evacuated some 392 children from the Russian border city after weeks of shelling from Ukrainian forces. Some 300 residents have already left the city, one of the biggest civilian evacuations on Russian soil since Moscow began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
• Russia and Ukraine reported intense battles along the front line in the south and east around Avdiivka, Mariinsky, Kupiansk and Kherson. Russia claimed Ukraine had lost at least 450 soldiers in the confrontations, while Ukraine claimed it had killed 800 Russian troops.
Zelensky says no pressure to stop fighting Russia
Diplomatic pressure could be mounting on Kyiv to pursue a diplomatic way out of the war with Russia as the conflict approaches its second anniversary.
Italy’s defense minister said Wednesday that while Rome’s support of Ukraine remained steadfast, the time had come for “incisive diplomatic action alongside the aid we are providing.”
On a surprise trip to Lithuania Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said there was no pressure from the country’s partners to stop the fight against Russia, however.
A day before the World Economic Forum begins in Davos, Switzerland, next Monday, Ukraine and Switzerland are due to co-host a summit of allied national security advisors with the focus on promoting Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan. Russia will not be attending the event.
Russia exploiting its position in UN Security Council by procuring North Korean weapons, US says
A joint statement from the US and seven other countries on Wednesday accused Russia of exploiting its position as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to acquire weapons from North Korea.
The export of weapons from North Korea violates multiple UN Security Council resolutions, according to a statement released by the United States Mission to the United Nations.
“Each violation makes the world a much more dangerous place. And a permanent Security Council member that willingly engages in these violations demonstrates a clear exploitation of its position,” it said.
Alongside the US, the joint statement was issued on behalf of France, Japan, Malta, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Ukraine and the UK.
Ukraine, Lithuania sign defense support agreement
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday that he and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda signed a new defense support agreement.
“I am grateful for Lithuania’s new defense support that we have agreed upon—not only aid but also joint production—particularly of anti-drone equipment, which is critical at the frontline, as well as other areas of defense production. We signed relevant documents today,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky also described weapons and other equipment as well as training for military personnel and Lithuania’s role in the process of clearing mines in Ukraine as “sources of strength.”
Earlier in the day, Zelensky said that he was making a surprise visit to Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.
As the Russia-Ukraine war approaches its second anniversary in February, neither side is in a position to capitulate or compromise in the conflict. Ukraine’s counteroffensive last summer failed to shift the front lines significantly and Russian forces are heavily entrenched in fortified positions across the south and east of Ukraine.
Military experts predict little change in 2024 unless Western support for Ukraine dries up, and warn that neither side will be ready for peace talks unless they hold the upper-hand in the war, giving them negotiating power in any talks.
Western allies condemn arms transfers between North Korea and Russia
The US and its Western allies issued a statement Tuesday condemning alleged arms transfers between North Korea and Russia.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) export and Russia’s procurement of DPRK ballistic missiles, as well as Russia’s use of these missiles against Ukraine,” said the joint statement, issued by the foreign ministers of the US, UK, EU, Australia, Germany, Canada and partner nations.
“The transfer of these weapons increases the suffering of the Ukrainian people, supports Russia’s war of aggression, and undermines the global non-proliferation regime,” they noted, adding that Russia’s use of North Korean ballistic missiles in Ukraine also provides “valuable technical and military insights” to Pyongyang.
“We are deeply concerned about the security implications that this cooperation has in Europe, on the Korean Peninsula, across the Indo-Pacific region, and around the world,” the statement added.
The US accused Russia of using North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine on Dec. 30 and Jan. 2, with Ukraine’s international partners condemning their use.
When asked on Tuesday to comment on the White House’s claims, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said “we are leaving it with no comment.”
“I just want to remind [you] that Ukraine is targeting our territories, like Belgorod, with missiles that are manufactured by foreign states, like Germany, France,” he added.
