The situation at a glance: North Koreans: UN chief fears escalation in Ukraine war

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned of the possible use of North Korean soldiers by Russia in the Ukraine war. Reports about this had “very disturbed” him, said Guterres, according to a statement in New York. “This would represent a very dangerous escalation of the war in Ukraine. Everything must be done to prevent any internationalization of this conflict.” The UN chief also reiterated his support for a “fair, lasting and comprehensive peace” in Ukraine.

According to the United States, up to 8,000 North Korean soldiers are near the Ukrainian border and could be used in the war by Russia in the coming days. Russian President Vladimir Putin does not deny the presence of North Korean soldiers and claims that Ukraine is relying on personnel from NATO countries.

In addition to soldiers, Russia also receives weapons and large quantities of ammunition from North Korea. Just a few days ago, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Huin, during a visit to Moscow, announced her country’s continued support for Russia “until Victory Day” over Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denounced the inaction of Kiev’s Western partners in view of the impending deployment of North Korean soldiers in Russian uniforms. He accused Germany, Great Britain and the USA of just watching. Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian war of aggression for over two and a half years.

Injured after air strike on supermarket in Kharkiv

The east of Ukraine continues to be hotly contested. According to preliminary information from the rescue service, at least 13 people were injured in air strikes on the city of Kharkiv and its suburbs. A supermarket in a residential area was hit, said the mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, on his Telegram channel that night. The supermarket was located next to high-rise buildings.

According to initial information, power lines were also damaged, the mayor wrote. Windows in the surrounding houses were broken. The emergency services in the region reported damage to cars and other commercial facilities.

New Russian drone swarms reach Ukraine

The Russian military again covered Ukraine with large swarms of drones late on Sunday evening. The arrival of larger groups of so-called kamikaze drones was initially reported from the eastern Ukrainian region of Sumy, and later also from the south of the country. The explosive-laden unmanned missiles then scattered in different directions to confuse Ukrainian air defenses. Air alerts were then triggered for various parts of Ukraine.

Numerous Russian attacks on Ukrainian fronts

Heavy fighting raged on various sectors of the front in eastern Ukraine. A total of 110 Russian attacks were reported on Sunday, the General Staff in Kiev said in its evening situation report. The absolute hot spot was the Kurachowe sector, where 54 Russian advances over the course of the day put the Ukrainian defenders under heavy pressure. According to the pro-government Ukrainian military channel Deep State, Russian units are said to have gained new territory there and captured two villages.

Heavy fighting was also reported in the area around Pokrovsk on the edge of Donbass. 19 Russian attacks were repelled there during the day. In comparison, there were only four attacks in the Toretsk region. The information could not be independently verified.

Zelenskyj: We have to bring children back to Ukraine

Meanwhile, Zelensky is campaigning for the return of thousands of children abducted to Russia to Ukraine. “No one can say with certainty how many there are today,” he said in his evening video address. “We know of tens of thousands; they are very young children and teenagers. Those who have relatives in Ukraine. And those whose relatives were unfortunately killed by Russian attacks.”

Ukraine is trying to bring these children home. Although it is possible to exchange adults with Russia, such an exchange is difficult for children. It’s about “little Ukrainians who were torn from their families, children who were trafficked from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia, and whom Russia is trying to hide.”

In this context, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Kremlin chief Putin in March last year. The court accuses him of being responsible for the abduction of Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. For the same reason, an arrest warrant was issued against the Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lwowa-Belowa. This arrest warrant prevents Putin from entering many countries.