Russia launched another wave of drone attacks on Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force reported on Saturday, as President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a Russian military build-up.
Of the 139 Russian drones deployed, 67 were shot down, while the location of 71 others was lost, likely due to electronic defence systems, Kiev’s air force said.
Official reports indicate that a residential building in the Sumy region caught fire following a drone strike, though no casualties have yet been reported.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had intercepted 36 Ukrainian drones over the regions of Volgograd, Rostov, Belgorod and Krasnodar.
Authorities reported that falling drone debris damaged multiple houses and vehicles in the city of Sloviansk-na-Kubani in the Krasnodar region, while a power line was hit in Belgorod, leaving several villages without electricity.
Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia’s invasion for nearly three years, relying on Western support. As part of its military strategy, Kiev has also carried out repeated strikes on targets within Russian territory.
Zelensky warns of Russian military build-up
President Zelensky has accused his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of building up Russian military strength to continue the war against Ukraine.
“Intelligence reports confirm that Russia is forming new divisions and developing new military production facilities,” Zelensky said on X.
“Their cooperation with North Korea will continue to expand. Moscow is also spreading modern warfare technologies to the region, particularly drone technologies,” he added.
“This means one simple thing — Putin is preparing not for negotiations, not for peace, but for the continuation of the war — and not only against Ukraine,” Zelensky asserted.
“They are now increasing their army by more than a hundred thousand soldiers.”
Zelenksy said that every country in Europe must strengthen its defence.
It was unclear what information about the build-up of Russian troops Zelensky was referring to. He said that Ukraine was willing to share its findings.
Contact with partners was already taking place through intelligence channels, he added.
Zelensky: North Korean troops return to the front
Earlier, Zelensky said that after a “forced break,” North Korean soldiers have resumed fighting alongside Russian forces in the western Russian region of Kursk.
The North Korean troops, who had been withdrawn for several days for undisclosed reasons, have now rejoined Russian forces in renewed attacks, he stated.
According to Zelensky, both Russian and North Korean units have suffered significant casualties. “We are talking about hundreds of Russian and North Korean soldiers,” he said.
The information could not be independently verified.
Pyongyang reportedly deployed nearly 12,000 troops to Russia in support of its ally in the war against Ukraine.
Western analysts estimate that North Korean forces sustained heavy losses in the battles for Kursk, necessitating their temporary withdrawal from the front.
No new elections in Ukraine until war ends
Ukraine will not hold parliamentary or presidential elections while the country remains under attack from Russia, parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk stated.
In an interview published by Germany’s Funke Mediengruppe newspaper chain on Friday, he argued that elections are not always an “expression of democracy,” citing Russia and Belarus as examples.
Zelensky remains in office under the terms of martial law, which allow him to extend his presidency until normal elections can be held.
Stefanchuk stressed that, under the Ukrainian constitution, elections cannot take place during martial law.
He argued that front-line soldiers must have the right to vote for elections to be fair, adding that millions of Ukrainians currently living abroad or in Russian-occupied territories also deserve the opportunity to participate.
Additionally, he pointed out that international election observers would be unable to enter Ukraine during wartime. “When martial law ends, there will be new elections,” he assured.
