Ukraine-Russia newest: US warns North Korea changing into higher ready for battle as 13 killed in Zaporizhzhia

More than 12,300 civilians have been killed in the Ukraine war since Russia invaded nearly three years ago, a UN official told a UN meeting yesterday, noting a spike in casualties due to the use of drones, long-range missiles and glide bombs.

In total, the United Nations deputy human rights chief Nada Al-Nashif said more than 12,300 civilians had been killed in Ukraine including 650 children – although the UN has repeatedly said its tally is an undercount since it only includes deaths its teams have managed to verify.

“Russian armed forces intensified their operations to capture further territory in eastern Ukraine, with a severe impact on civilians in frontline areas,” she told a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

“We are deeply concerned by the impacts on civilians of the increased use of drones and the use of new weapons,” she added, saying Russia had used 2,000 long-range drones in November.

Russia, which is making territorial gains in Ukraine’s east, has conducted regular attacks on faraway cities in recent months using such weapons. This contributed to a 30 per cent rise in civilian deaths to 574 in Ukraine between September-November 2024 compared to the previous year, according to UN data.

These examples of increasing gross violations of international human rights law may represent war crimes, Ms Al-Nashif told the Council.

Membership in Nato is the only credible long-term security guarantee Ukraine can receive against future Russian aggression, Finland’s top diplomat said yesterday.

“I think in the long term the only credible security guarantee is Article 5 of the Washington Treaty – so Nato membership essentially,” foreign minister Elina Valtonen told Reuters in Kyiv, referring to the alliance’s collective defence clause.

“And we are supporting Ukraine’s Nato membership further down the line and hopefully not in (the) too-distant future.”

Ukraine’s leaders have aggressively pushed for an invitation to join the 32-member alliance but have met resistance from key members as the war lurches toward its three-year mark and Ukrainian troops struggle to beat back Russian advances.

Donald Trump’s return to the White House on 20 January has sparked hope of a diplomatic resolution to end Moscow’s invasion but also fears in Kyiv that a quick peace could come at a high price.

Ukrainian officials including president Volodymyr Zelensky have called for strong security guarantees from partners that would prevent Russia from rearming for a new attack.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said any future deal to end the war in Ukraine would need to build into it deterrence to prevent Russia once again attacking Ukraine.

Speaking in Paris, the outgoing Biden administration’s top diplomat warned that Russian president Vladimir Putin would try to use any ceasefire in Ukraine to refit Russian forces and eventually attack Ukraine again.

Dozens of Ukraine’s defence partner nations will meet at Ramstein Air Base in Germany for the 25th UDCG meeting today.

The meeting will include “those who can help boost our capabilities not only to defend against missiles but also against guided bombs and Russian aviation,” Volodymyr Zelensky had said.

“We’re not sunsetting the group. The next administration is completely welcome and encouraged… to take the mantle of this 50 country strong group and continue to drive and lead through it,” said a senior US defence official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The official added that today’smeeting would look to endorse roadmaps for Ukraine’s military needs and objectives through 2027.

“It will endure in some capacity, in some form going forward, I believe, regardless of exactly how the next team does or doesn’t pursue it,” the official said.

Donald Trump will have a few billion dollars in appropriated money that he could use for Ukraine’s military needs once he takes office.

More than 12,300 civilians have been killed in the Ukraine war since Russia invaded nearly three years ago, the United Nations said, noting a spike in casualties due to the use of drones, long-range missiles and glide bombs.

The US is expected to announce $500m in military aid for Ukraine today at a final gathering of president Joe Biden’s weapons pledging conferences, meetings Kyiv says have been critical to its defence against Russia.

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), comprised of about 50 allies who usually meet every few months at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, was started in 2022 by US defence secretary Lloyd Austin to speed and synchronise the delivery of arms to Kyiv.

Washington has committed more than $63.5bn in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion and the additional $500m could be announced yesterday, a US official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The group’s future is unclear with president-elect Donald Trump set to take office on 20 January. Advisers to Mr Trump have floated proposals to end the Ukraine war that would cede large parts of the country to Russia for the foreseeable future.

The US has warned that North Korea is benefiting from its troops fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine, gaining experience that makes Pyongyang “more capable of waging war against its neighbours.”

“The DPRK is significantly benefiting from receiving Russian military equipment, technology and experience, rendering it more capable of waging war against its neighbours,” deputy US ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea told the 15-member council, which met over what Pyongyang said was a test of a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile on Monday.

“In turn, the DPRK will likely be eager to leverage these improvements to promote weapons sales and military training contracts globally,” she said, using the acronym for North Korea’s formal name – the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

More than 12,000 North Korean troops are in Russia and last month began fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region, Ms Shea told the UN security council.

Russia has forged closer diplomatic and military ties with North Korea since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022.