Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claims that Ukraine was involved in the recent attack in Moscow. This comes as tensions continue to escalate between the two countries, with Russia launching multiple missile attacks and airstrikes on Ukrainian territory.
According to the city’s military administration, Russia has fired 180 weapons at Kyiv since the beginning of the year, including five hypersonic Zircon missiles. The attacks have resulted in casualties, with five people killed in shelling from Kharkiv to Lviv.
In response to the escalating violence, Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces reported that Ukrainian forces have successfully repelled a Russian battalion-sized mechanized assault near the key town of Avdiivka. The Institute for the Study of War confirmed that this was the first such assault since Russian forces began their campaign to seize the town in late October 2023.
Meanwhile, reports have emerged of Russia using barges to enhance the defenses of one of its ports in the Black Sea. This move is seen as a response to successful Ukrainian strikes on navy ships in the region.
As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to intensify, the international community is closely monitoring the situation. France’s foreign minister has expressed concerns over North Korea providing ballistic missiles to Russia for the war in Ukraine, highlighting the global implications of the ongoing conflict.