"If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said.
Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw.
"Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said.
Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce.
"I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers and to all our people," Zelensky said.
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak voiced doubt about leading negotiations with anyone from Russia except President Vladimir Putin, implying only the Russian leader can make real decisions.
This includes at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which Kyiv and its allies put forward a demand for a 30-day unconditional truce, a step that Moscow continues to reject.
"When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs," the Elysee Palace reacted to a fake story pushed by Russia.
The comments came after Trump urged Ukraine to agree to direct negotiations with Russia, which has invited Kyiv to peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, without first agreeing to halt military operations.
A Russian drone hit a civilian freight train in Donetsk Oblast on May 12 and injured its driver, Ukrainian Railways said amid Kyiv's calls for a ceasefire.
Moscow and Hanoi agreed to negotiate and sign agreements to construct nuclear power plants in Vietnam, the two countries said in a joint statement on May 11.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sept. 13, 2023. (Contributor/Getty Images)
Russia on March 28 vetoed the annual renewal of the panel of experts monitoring U.N. sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The move sparked condemnations from several other U.N. members, who accused Russia of shielding its purchases of North Korean arms for its war effort against Ukraine.
"Today's vote will only embolden the DPRK (North Korea) to act with further impunity, as the DPRK jeopardizes global security through the development of long-range ballistic missiles and sanctions evasion efforts," said Robert Wood, the U.S. representative in the U.N., according to the Voice of America.
South Korean Ambassador Joonkook Hwang said, "Russia seems to be more interested in embracing or encouraging the DPRK for its provision of munitions and ballistic missiles for the conduct of its war in Ukraine at the expense of nuclear non-proliferation regime and the proper functioning of the Security Council."
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called Russia's veto "a guilty plea."
"Moscow no longer hides its military cooperation with North Korea in obtaining arms and ammunition in violation of sanctions, as well as the use of North Korean weapons in the war against Ukraine.
"Today's vote is yet another example of how Russia's illegal presence in the U.N. Security Council jeopardizes global security."
The U.N. Security Council adopted several sanctions against North Korea in 2006 to rein in its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, while the expert panel was created in 2009. Moscow's veto halts the work of the panel but does not cancel the sanctions themselves.
Vasily Nebenzya, Russia's envoy to the U.N., claimed that the sanctions did not achieve their goal of stabilizing the situation in the Korean peninsula and called for "an open and honest review of the council sanctions measures in respect of the DPRK, moving the restrictions onto an annual basis."
North Korea has been shaping up as Russia's leading weapons supplier, reportedly providing Moscow with extensive military packages, including ballistic missiles and over 3 million artillery shells.
Katie Marie Davies
