Ukraine updates: Dozens wounded in lengthy strike on Kyiv – DW – 11/02/2024

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was Ukraine’s fault that a planned prisoner of war exchange had not taken place.

Zakharova claimed that Russia’s Defense Ministry had offered to hand over some 935 Ukrainian prisoners, but Kyiv had only agreed to take 279.

“Russia has never refused to have dialogue about exchanges of prisoners of war,” Zakharova told journalists, claiming that any suggestions to the contrary were lies made up to discredit Moscow.

Kyiv has not responded to Zakharova’s comments.

Ukrainian President VolodymyrVolodymyr Zelenskyy Zelenskyy called on Western allies to stop merely “watching” as North Korea sent troops to assist the Russian army in Ukraine.

“The first thousands of soldiers from North Korea are near the Ukrainian border. Ukrainians will be forced to defend themselves against them,” he said. “And the world will watch again.”

Zelenskyy said that the presence of the North Koreans could have wider repercussions, as the troops would now “learn modern warfare.”

He slammed allies for continuing to deny permission for Kyiv to use their long-range weapons inside Russian territory.

“But instead of such necessary long-range capability, America watches, Britain watches, Germany watches…,” he said.

The comments follow an interview Zelenskyy gave to South Korea’s KBS broadcater, saying allies had “zero” constructive response to the North Korea threat.

Moscow launched drone strikes on the Ukrainian capital late on Friday in an assault that did not let up until about noon local time on Saturday.

Ukrainian forces were able to down the drones, but debris still stuck six city districts, wounding a police officer and damaging residential buildings, some of which caught fire.

“Another night. Another air raid alert. Another drone attack. The armed forces of the Russian Federation attacked Kyiv again according to their old and familiar tactics,”  city military administrator Serhiy Popko wrote on his social media channels.

Ukrainian energy firm DTEK said one of its high-voltage lines powering the capital had been struck, but that electricity had most be restored by Saturday afternoon.

Throughout the war, Russia has targeted energy infrastructure in the run-up to the cold winter months.

At least one officer was killed and dozens were wounded in two Russian missile attacks on a police station in Kharkiv on Friday. 

The following day, Ukrainian officials updated the injury toll to 46. The injured included officers, one paramedic, and civilian bystanders.

Russia has ramped-up strikes against Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, in recent months.

es/msh (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)