KYIV — Ukraine’s military reported Wednesday that it had successfully intercepted 38 out of 63 Russian drones launched in overnight attacks across the country, as air defenses once again repelled a wave of aerial strikes.
The Ukrainian Air Force said it intercepted the drones over several regions, including Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Zhytomyr, and Zaporizhzhia. These regions have been frequent targets of Russian drone assaults, which have intensified in recent weeks as Moscow continues to target Ukrainian infrastructure and military assets.
Vitaliy Kim, the governor of Mykolaiv, confirmed the damage to the region’s energy infrastructure, but assured there were no casualties. Kim made the statement via Telegram, adding that the situation was under control despite the ongoing Russian drone campaign.
In response to the ongoing conflict, Russia’s Defense Ministry also reported shooting down two Ukrainian drones over its Kursk region and one more over Oryol. Russian officials stated there were no casualties or damage from the intercepted Ukrainian drones.
Amid these military exchanges, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a significant revelation on Tuesday regarding the involvement of North Korean forces. Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian troops have engaged in combat with North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia to support Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.
“The first battles with North Korean soldiers mark a new chapter of instability in the world,” Zelenskyy remarked in his daily address, calling attention to the growing complexity of the conflict as new international players become directly involved.
Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s defense minister, further substantiated these claims, confirming in an interview with South Korea’s public broadcaster KBS that the Ukrainian military had encountered North Korean troops in “small-scale” skirmishes.
Andrii Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council’s counter-disinformation unit, added that the North Korean forces had been shelled while operating in the Kursk region of Russia.
A U.S. official, speaking to The New York Times, indicated that a “significant number” of North Korean troops had been killed in the clashes, although details on the timing and specifics of these engagements remain unclear.
This marked the first official acknowledgment of the North Korean troops’ involvement by Ukrainian officials, heightening concerns over the expanding international dimensions of the war. While North Korea has long been suspected of aiding Russia, particularly through arms deals, this is the first confirmation of direct military engagement between Ukrainian and North Korean forces on the ground.
As the war continues to evolve, the involvement of new foreign military actors adds a layer of unpredictability, further complicating diplomatic and military efforts to resolve the conflict.
