Russia and Ukraine engaged in large-scale attacks targeting each other's urban centers and energy and logistics facilities over the weekend, as Russian President Vladimir Putin met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui to express gratitude for North Korea's support in the war against Ukraine.
According to Russian state news agency TASS, President Putin received Choe during her visit to Russia on July 19. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that "President Putin once again expressed gratitude to the North Korean leadership for their assistance in the special military operation." He emphasized that "the contributions of the North Korean army supporting our military will never be forgotten in our country."
Putin also conveyed warm regards to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un through Choe. He praised the diplomatic relations between Russia and North Korea, while Peskov noted that Choe reaffirmed Kim's strategic commitment to fully develop relations with Russia.
This visit by Choe marks her first trip to Russia in about nine months, with the purpose and specific schedule of the visit not disclosed.
Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine exchanged large-scale strikes targeting each other's rear areas over the weekend. According to Reuters and AFP, Russia launched ballistic missiles and drones at major Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy, resulting in at least eight deaths and numerous injuries.
In Kyiv, attacks continued for several hours from early morning, causing fires in five districts of the city. Civilian facilities, including apartments, office buildings, and supermarkets, were damaged.
In the northeastern Kharkiv region, a postal logistics warehouse was hit, leading to four deaths and 19 injuries. In Kyiv, an elderly woman lost her life, while two fatalities were reported in southern Zaporizhzhia. In the northeastern Sumy region, a rehabilitation center was struck by guided bombs, resulting in one civilian death.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 41 missiles and 125 drones overnight, with 18 missiles and 108 drones intercepted. The attacks primarily targeted Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the strikes as one of the largest ballistic missile attacks since Russia began its full-scale invasion in 2022.
In response, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian logistics and energy facilities in the rear. Ukraine reported hitting three oil tankers belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet" in the Black Sea, as well as attacking three oil storage facilities and another fuel-related site in the southern Stavropol region.
On the previous day, drone strikes targeted logistics warehouses of Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries in the Moscow region of Elektrostal and Tambov region of Kotovsk, resulting in eight deaths and over 60 injuries.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.