Russian strikes hit Kyiv and Odesa as Zelenskyy warns of more North Korean troops

Russian strikes hit Kyiv and Ukraine’s Black Sea region of Odesa overnight into Tuesday, damaging infrastructure and civilian sites, while Moscow said it had also targeted vessels carrying military cargo.

The attacks came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said North Korea was preparing to send thousands more troops to Russia, expanding military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that its forces struck two data centres in Kyiv overnight.

Moscow also said it targeted a military-linked cargo vessel in the Black Sea and another vessel carrying military cargo in the Ukrainian port of Odesa.

Ukraine did not immediately confirm Russia’s description of the targets.

Explosions were heard in Kyiv during the early hours of Tuesday, according to a Reuters witness.

Odesa port infrastructure damaged

Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said Russian strikes damaged port infrastructure and other facilities in the Black Sea region.

A civilian business was also heavily damaged, while six people were injured, Kiper said on Telegram.

Zelenskyy reports casualties and damage in Kyiv

Zelenskyy said emergency services were working at the site of a direct strike on the National Academy of Sciences building in Kyiv.

According to the Ukrainian president, one person was killed and six others were injured, including three children.

He said a medical facility in central Kyiv was also struck later in the day, while emergency crews worked to extinguish a fire.

• Russian bomb strike injures 22 in Kharkiv apartment building

Zelenskyy added that a pharmaceutical company and petrol stations in Kyiv were targeted, alongside a business centre in Dnipro and civilian facilities, businesses and communications infrastructure in other parts of the country.

Russia has repeatedly said it targets military and military-related infrastructure in Ukraine. Kyiv says Russian attacks frequently damage civilian sites and infrastructure.

Zelenskyy says North Korea preparing 10,000 more troops

Separately, Zelenskyy said more than 8,000 North Korean troops were currently on Russian territory and that preparations were under way to deploy another 10,000.

He said the additional personnel were being selected for training before their expected deployment to Russia.

Zelenskyy also said Moscow planned to increase recruitment of foreign nationals and urged governments to act against efforts to enlist their citizens into Russian forces.

• Zelenskyy: More than 8,000 North Korean troops in Russia

The Ukrainian president said Russia was providing technological support to North Korea in return for military assistance.

He claimed that production of Shahed-type attack drones had been established in North Korea with Russian technical support.

Russia and North Korea have deepened military ties in recent years, although Moscow and Pyongyang have not publicly confirmed all details of their reported troop and technology cooperation cited by Ukraine.

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