KYIV, Ukraine — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to call on allies to enhance Ukraine’s air defense systems during an upcoming meeting in Germany this week, amid ongoing military actions. Both Kyiv and Moscow reported that Ukrainian forces conducted new attacks in Russia’s Kursk region on Sunday. In unfortunate events, Russian artillery strikes led to the death of one person and injuries to another in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, according to local authorities.
Zelenskyy announced that representatives from numerous partner nations would convene at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Thursday to discuss bolstering Ukraine’s defenses. He stated the focus would include not only intercepting missiles but also countering guided bombs and Russian airstrikes. “We will engage in discussions and continue our persuasion efforts,” he emphasized in his Saturday night address, reiterating the ongoing aim of strengthening air defense capabilities.
The meeting will feature U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin, who will attend after the event was initially postponed in October due to Hurricane Milton affecting Florida. The Biden administration is racing to provide as much military assistance to Ukraine as possible before the presidential transition occurs on January 20. Former President Donald Trump, during his campaign, suggested he could conclude the almost three-year-long war in just a day, stirring uncertainty over the future of U.S. support for Ukraine in the event he assumes office again.
Zelenskyy acknowledged Trump’s unpredictable nature as something that might heavily influence his decisions regarding the conflict. Currently, Russia occupies around 20% of Ukraine’s territory, with slow-paced advancement last year in eastern regions despite suffering heavy troop and equipment losses. The current state of the war poses challenges for Ukraine, which faces shortages at the front lines and is calling for increased support from its Western allies.
Regarding developments in the Kursk region, Zelenskyy reported significant losses for Russian and North Korean forces amid ongoing confrontations. He stated, “In battles yesterday and today near Makhnovka in the Kursk region, the Russian military reportedly lost nearly a battalion of North Korean infantry and Russian paratroopers.” Zelenskyy previously mentioned that about 3,000 North Korean soldiers were either killed or injured during Ukraine’s incursion, which commenced in August and has posed a blow to Russian forces, requiring troop redeployments from eastern Ukraine.
While the incursion hasn’t dramatically shifted the overall dynamics of the conflict, military assessments note that Ukraine has experienced a retreat, losing approximately 40% of the territory it had once secured. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that Ukraine launched renewed offensives in the Kursk area, claiming effective resistance against Ukrainian troop advances, although some Russian military analysts suggested that Russian forces are under considerable strain.
Official statements indicated that around 9 a.m. local time, Ukrainian forces attacked near the village of Berdin using two tanks and multiple armored vehicles, which were repelled by Russian forces. Ukrainian officials responded positively regarding the situation in Kursk, asserting that the Russian military is facing deserved repercussions.
In separate incidents, local officials reported further casualties from Russian bombardments, including one death and another injury in Nikopol, within the Dnipropetrovsk region. Additionally, six individuals were reported injured in Kherson due to shelling. The situation remains alarmingly precarious, with regular attacks targeting areas along the western bank of the Dnieper River from Russian-controlled territories.
A guided bomb attack on the border town of Semenivka resulted in nine injuries on Saturday night, as reported by local authorities. Russian officials later indicated 103 drones were deployed against Ukraine overnight, with Ukrainian forces claiming to have intercepted 61 drones, while also announcing the loss of 42, most likely due to electronic disruption efforts. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry declared that 61 Ukrainian drones were shot down, though no casualties were reported in areas affected by falling debris.
