Russia intensified its attacks on Kyiv early Wednesday, launching waves of drones and missiles in its first combined aerial assault on the Ukrainian capital in more than 70 days, according to local authorities.
The barrage coincided with escalating concerns over North Korea’s involvement in the conflict, as both Washington and Seoul supported Ukraine’s warnings that North Korean troops had begun “engaging in combat operations” alongside Russian forces on the border between Ukraine and Russia.
In a separate development, a security source in Kyiv confirmed to AFP that Ukraine was behind the assassination of a senior Russian naval officer in a car bombing on the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Ukraine’s air force reported downing four missiles and 37 drones launched by Russia across eight regions of Ukraine overnight into Wednesday morning. President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the importance of having the necessary air-defense systems to protect the country from continued Russian attacks.
The assault marks an important moment in the ongoing conflict, with Russian forces advancing in eastern Ukraine and concerns growing over future support for Ukraine following potential shifts in U.S. leadership after the upcoming presidential election.
In Kyiv, explosions were heard as air raid sirens blared, prompting many residents to seek refuge in underground metro stations. Local authorities reported that one man was injured by debris from a downed drone in the suburb of Brovary, and emergency services shared images of firefighters battling flames from an impact site.
A separate drone attack in the southern region of Kherson, which is claimed by Russia, resulted in the death of a 52-year-old woman, the regional head confirmed.
As Russian missiles neared Kyiv, the city also faced a simultaneous ballistic missile strike, followed by another drone attack. The violence is part of an ongoing escalation in airstrikes across Ukraine, particularly in the south. A recent Russian strike on Kryvyi Rih, President Zelensky’s hometown, killed a mother and her three children.
The Kremlin has consistently denied targeting civilians in its attacks. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Russian forces “treat the civilian population with great care” while confirming that attacks would continue.
In another development, Russian forces claimed to have gained control of the village of Rivnopil in the eastern Donetsk region, which Russia now considers part of its territory. The village had a pre-invasion population of around 98 people.
As Russian troops press westward, Kyiv has raised concerns that Russia is amassing a force of 50,000 troops, including North Korean soldiers, in preparation for a major push against Ukrainian forces in the Russian border region of Kursk.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking in Brussels, condemned the involvement of North Korean troops in the conflict, labeling their participation as a significant development requiring a “firm response.” South Korea’s intelligence agency also confirmed that North Korean soldiers were actively engaging in combat alongside Russian forces on the Ukrainian border.
In Crimea, Ukrainian intelligence confirmed that it had orchestrated a car bomb attack that killed senior Russian naval officer Valery Trankovsky in Sevastopol, a port city under Russian control. His death marks the latest in a series of targeted assassinations of Russian military leaders and pro-Kremlin figures within Ukraine and in Russia.
Since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, tensions in the region have remained high, with the conflict intensifying following Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy protests and the subsequent Russian-backed insurgency in eastern Ukraine.
