RAccording to US findings, Russia also fired ballistic missiles from North Korea in its recent heavy air strikes on Ukraine. National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby said at the White House that, according to US information, Pyongyang had recently delivered ballistic missile launchers and ammunition to Moscow.
At the turn of the year, Russian armed forces fired several of these missiles into Ukraine. “This is a significant and troubling escalation of North Korean support for Russia,” Kirby emphasized Thursday. There are also indications that talks between Moscow and Tehran about the supply of missiles are moving forward.
On Friday night there was again an air alert in the eastern half of Ukraine. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that there were several groups of enemy combat drones in the air. There was initially no information about possible hits or damage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj said his country was expecting new foreign arms aid in January. The attacked country received, among other things, ten armored personnel carriers and a short-range anti-aircraft system from Germany, as the federal government announced. Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion for almost two years. Friday marks the 681st day of the war.
North Korean missiles in Russian hands
According to US information, Russian forces fired at least one North Korean ballistic missile into Ukraine on December 30, Kirby said. This appears to have fallen in an open field in the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia. Russia fired more North Korean missiles in the attack on Kiev on Tuesday.
“We are still in the process of assessing the impact of these additional missiles,” Kirby emphasized. Foreseeably, Russia and North Korea would learn from these launches and further improve their weapons. The missiles from Pyongyang have a range of around 900 kilometers.
The United States and other countries have long been concerned about military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. Russia is increasingly isolated because of sanctions and export controls and is forced to look to like-minded states for military supplies, Kirby said. These included North Korea and Iran. The British government condemned the use of North Korean weapons.
New arms package from Germany
The appearance of missiles from North Korea in the war zone is likely to cause the discussion about longer-range weapons for Ukraine to flare up again – for example Taurus cruise missiles from Germany or long-range ATACMS from the USA. The first German aid package for 2024 contained ammunition for the medium-range variant of the Iris-T air defense system as well as a Skynex air defense system for short ranges, as the federal government announced.
Ukraine also received ten Marder armored personnel carriers, ten heavy trucks, two additional Wisent mine clearing vehicles and another Biber bridge-laying vehicle. The package also included ammunition, protective equipment and winter camouflage.
President Zelenskyj thanked Germany and especially Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “German support helps save lives,” he wrote on the social network X (formerly Twitter). In this way, a just peace for Ukraine and Europe will be achieved more quickly.
Ukraine expects further military aid
Zelensky announced that there would be “a lot of relevant communications” about armaments aid from other countries in January. He didn't give any details. “I am grateful to all of our partners who are already putting together new support packages.” What Ukraine most urgently needs is anti-aircraft weapons and ammunition, Zelensky said after the heavy Russian bombardment from the air at the turn of the year. Artillery ammunition, electronic warfare equipment and drones are also needed. In the USA in particular, the discussion about new aid is stuck.
Attacks on the Crimean Peninsula
The Russian military on the annexed Crimean peninsula defended itself against a Ukrainian air strike on Thursday. The Defense Ministry in Moscow announced that it had managed to shoot down ten incoming cruise missiles. This could not be confirmed independently. A Telegram channel in Crimea published images and videos supposedly showing clouds of smoke over Sevastopol and Yevpatoriya. The Ukrainian army claimed to have hit a Russian command point near Sevastopol.
Explosions were heard again over the peninsula on Friday night. The Russian military said 36 Ukrainian drones had been shot down.
Italy, as G7 chairman, supports Ukraine
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni assured Ukraine of further support from the Group of Seven large democratic industrial nations (G7). According to Italian sources, in a phone call with Zelensky, Meloni announced that Russia's aggression against the neighboring country would be the focus of Italy's G7 presidency. Italy has chaired the group since the beginning of the year. Other members include the USA, Germany, Canada, Great Britain, Japan and France. Zelenskyj thanked Meloni for his support – including with Ukraine's desire to join the EU.
This will be important on Friday
In addition to the air strikes, the Ukrainian military also expects further attacks by Russian troops on the ground. The focus of the fighting for weeks has been the city of Avdiivka in the east of the country.
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