Ukraine-Russia warfare newest: North Korea to ‘unconditionally support’ Moscow as Trump vows to ship weapons to Kyiv

Over the last week Russia launched more than 1,800 drones, 1,200 guided bombs and 83 missiles at Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky says.

“The Russians are intensifying terror against cities and communities to increasingly intimidate our people,” he said.

“But despite Moscow’s plans, the air defence forces are achieving good results. Interceptor drones are performing particularly well, with hundreds of Russian-Iranian ‘Shaheds’ shot down over the past week. And every meeting with partners this week was about scaling up this technology,” he added, referring to commitments made during the Ukraine recovery conference held in Rome during the week.

Zelensky continued: “I am grateful to everyone willing to invest in the protection of life, and to our warriors who safeguard the Ukrainian skies. ‘Shaheds’ are one of Russia’s ways of prolonging the war.

“We must neutralise this threat in order to bring diplomacy into motion sooner. We hope for the implementation of all agreements that will strengthen our defence. We count on strong decisions from the United States, Europe, the G7, and all our partners.”

Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia’s use of hundreds of drones to attack Ukrainian cities is a “tactic of terror”.

Overnight on Friday and into Saturday, Russia launched nearly 600 drones and 26 ballistic missiles at targets across the country, killing six people and injuring more than 20.

“The Russians continue to use a specific tactic of terror against Ukraine – saturated strikes on cities and regions, trying to have around 300 Shahed drones per attack,” the Ukrainian president said on X.

“They also use hundreds of special Shahed-imitator drones in each strike, the purpose of which is to overwhelm air defence and impede the downing of Shaheds. This is their deliberate and vile terror.

“We will continue our active drone operations on Russian territory in response to their attacks. And as always, we will act asymmetrically, and effectively.”

North Korea’s leader met with Russian foreign minister Segei Lavrov on Saturday in the coastal city of Wonsan, with the pair pledging further cooperation between the two countries.

Kim Jong Un has told Russia’s top diplomat that North Korea is ready to “unconditionally support” all of Moscow’s actions to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is on a three-day visit to North Korea, and held high-level talks with the country’s leader on Saturday.

North Korea has provided troops and arms for Russia’s war with Ukraine, and pledged more military support as Moscow tries to make advances in the conflict.

Kim met Lavrov in the eastern coastal city of Wonsan where the two countries’ foreign ministers held their second strategic dialogue, pledging further cooperation under a partnership treaty signed last year that includes a mutual defense pact.

Kim told Lavrov the steps taken by the allies in response to radically evolving global geopolitics will contribute greatly to securing peace and security around the world, North Korea’s state news agency KCNA reported.

“Kim Jong Un reaffirmed the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) is ready to unconditionally support and encourage all the measures taken by the Russian leadership as regards the tackling of the root cause of the Ukrainian crisis,” KCNA said.

A senior Ukrainian intelligence officer was gunned down in broad daylight in Kyiv, officials said on Friday as a maternity hospital was hit by a Russian drone barrage on the city of Kharkiv.

Surveillance footage published on social media showed the agent was executed in a car park by a gunman clad in dark clothing who fled the scene. Police said they were trying to identify the shooter and that “measures are being taken to detain him”.

The victim’s name has not been publicly disclosed and the identity of the suspect remains unclear. A Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) official said that the intelligence officer had been a colonel, according to Reuters.

My colleague Bryony Gooch has the full story:

Senators from both parties say that the legislation would pass smoothly. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said that he is open to a sanctions bill, which would open the door widespread bipartisan support.

Majority Leader John Thune said in a Senate speech earlier this week, “I fully expect that that could be ready for floor consideration as early as this work period. Senate Republicans are committed to working with the House and the White House to get this legislation through Congress and onto the president’s desk.”

My colleague Eric Garcia reports:

A man was killed in Russia’s Belgorod region after a shell struck a private house on Saturday, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a post on Telegram on Saturday.

Belgorod region, a border province which adjoins Ukraine’s Sumy, Kharkiv and Luhansk regions, has come under regular attack from Kyiv’s forces since Russia ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

Strikes on the region have diminished in recent months, as Russia has intensified its attacks on neighbouring Ukrainian regions.