As the focus of the Ukraine war shifts to North Korea and its potential involvement in the conflict by sending troops to fight alongside Kiev, drone launches continue between the two sides. This morning, Russia reported shooting down 14 Ukrainian drones over Crimea and sinking four unmanned Ukrainian vessels in the Black Sea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged his allies in his nighttime address to the nation to take action to prevent North Korea from entering the war on Russia's side. "If North Korea can intervene in the war in Europe, it is clear that the pressure on that regime is not enough," said Zelensky, who claimed to have information indicating that Moscow is preparing two brigades of 6,000 North Koreans each to join Russian troops fighting against Ukraine.
On the front lines, Russian troops managed to breach a canal that served as a natural defense line for Chasiv Yar on Tuesday and continue their advance in eastern Ukraine. Chasiv Yar, with around 12,000 inhabitants before the Russian invasion in February 2022, is located on elevated terrain, providing a strategic view of neighboring areas.
Zelensky Acknowledges Hundreds of Fraud Cases in Obtaining Disability Certificates
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged in his address to the nation last night the existence of hundreds of fraud cases involving state officials in obtaining disability certificates that exempt individuals from military service and entitle them to public financial assistance, reports Efe.
"I have addressed numerous cases of abuse by the MSEC (the body responsible for issuing these certificates) and fraudulent disability among officials," Zelensky said in his address to the nation last night.
The Ukrainian president had previously met with ministers and military and security chiefs responsible for this matter to address the scandal following the arrest of a regional MSEC chief who allegedly profited from selling these certificates.
Russia Welcomes China and Brazil's Peace Initiative on Ukraine
Russia welcomed the peace initiative on Ukraine between China and Brazil, discussed in bilateral meetings at the BRICS forum in Kazan, a senior Kremlin official said on Wednesday, as reported by the Interfax news agency.
Putin hosted a dinner on Tuesday for the heads of state who had arrived in Russia for the meeting and held individual talks with several of them, said Yuri Ushakov.
Ukraine Shoots Down 57 Russian Drones in 12 Regions
Ukraine's air defense shot down 57 Russian drones in 12 regions of the country, the Air Force said on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters.
The Air Force stated that Russian forces launched 81 drones and attacked the southern Odesa region with a missile.
Russia Attacks Four Cities in Eastern Ukraine
Russian forces are attacking four cities in eastern Ukraine in an attempt by Moscow to gain control of the entire Donbas region, according to pro-Russian bloggers.
Russian forces are engaging Ukrainian troops in the cities of Selydove, Hirnyk, Kurakhove, and Toretsk in the country's east, as reported by bloggers on Tuesday.
South Korean and Polish Defense Officials Discuss Sending North Korean Troops to Ukraine
South Korean and Polish National Security Advisors, Shin Won-sik and Jacek Siewera, discussed the possible deployment of North Korean troops to fight in Ukraine in Seoul on Wednesday and expressed "deep concern" about the matter, reports Efe.
Both Defense officials met a day before South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol receives his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda, who is on a four-day State visit to South Korea marked by bilateral cooperation that has partly fueled the conflict in Ukraine.