Russia Launches Scores of Drones on Kyiv, Other Ukrainian Regions

 In this image taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, Russian 120mm mortar crew change a position after firing toward Ukrainian position at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this image taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, Russian 120mm mortar crew change a position after firing toward Ukrainian position at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
TT

Russia Launches Scores of Drones on Kyiv, Other Ukrainian Regions

 In this image taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, Russian 120mm mortar crew change a position after firing toward Ukrainian position at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this image taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, Russian 120mm mortar crew change a position after firing toward Ukrainian position at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Russia launched a series of drone and missile attacks overnight targeting Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, igniting a fire at an industrial facility in the western Ukrainian region of Ternopil, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday.

By 0440 GMT, Russia launched some 136 attack drones targeting Ukraine and three missiles, with Ukraine's air defense destroying 51 of the drones, Ukraine's air force said on the Telegram messaging app.

Twenty of the drones were still in Ukrainian skies while 60 were unaccounted for, possibly intercepted by Ukraine's warfare, the air force said.

Most of Ukraine was under air raid alerts Wednesday morning, with the Kyiv region remaining under alert since 1730 GMT on Tuesday, according to military data. The air force said Russia was launching drones in several waves and in different directions.

The 51 drones were destroyed over 14 Ukrainian regions, including the Kyiv region.

It was not clear what happened to the three missiles.

The "large-scale fire" in the Ternopil region has since extinguished, but it involved 46 fire fighters and 12 units of special equipment to put it out, the military administration of the region said on the Telegram messaging app.

"There were no injuries," the administration added.

It was not immediately clear what facility was on fire.

All drones targeting Kyiv earlier in the night were destroyed and there were no reports of damage or injuries, but there was fresh risk of attacks, Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv's military administration said on Telegram.



Ukraine Calls for Sanctions over Alleged North Korean Involvement in War

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses lawmakers as he presents the so-called “Victory Plan” during a parliament session, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses lawmakers as he presents the so-called “Victory Plan” during a parliament session, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
TT

Ukraine Calls for Sanctions over Alleged North Korean Involvement in War

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses lawmakers as he presents the so-called “Victory Plan” during a parliament session, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses lawmakers as he presents the so-called “Victory Plan” during a parliament session, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 16, 2024. (Reuters)

Ukraine called on its allies on Wednesday to impose new sanctions on Pyongyang after it said North Korea had become a de facto participant in the war in Ukraine on Russia's side.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told parliament in a speech to outline his victory plan that his spy services had confirmed North Korea's supply of both weapons and people to Russia, echoing similar comments in recent days.

"These are workers for Russian factories to replace Russians killed in the war. And personnel for the Russian army. In fact, this is the participation of a second state in the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia," Zelenskiy said.

The Kremlin has denied the allegation of North Korea sending people as "fake news". Moscow and Pyongyang have denied arms transfers but have said they will boost military ties, possibly including joint drills.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv's allies should respond firmly, including by imposing new sanctions and further isolating Pyongyang, whose relations with Russia have grown closer since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"This is a huge threat of further escalation. We are approaching a new phase, new realities of war," he said at a news conference in the Black Sea city of Odesa.

White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said on Tuesday that the involvement of North Korean troops in Ukraine, if true, would mark a significant increase in the North Korea-Russia defense relationship.

Washington also says North Korea has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles and ammunition.

The US Army's Indo-Pacific commander, General Charles Flynn, told an event in Washington that North Korean personnel being involved in the conflict would allow Pyongyang to get real-time feedback on its weapons, something that had not been possible in the past.