Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy has accused Russia of using North Korean missiles in an attack that killed at least seven people. The President also says he has handed a new proposal to US negotiators for a plan to end the war. It follows the Russian Supreme Court's move to bar the country's only officially-registered anti-war party, and as Ukrainian detainees accuse Russia of systematically torturing prisoners of war.
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TRANSCRIPT
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy says Russia used North Korean ballistic missiles in an attack on a Ukrainian steel plant in the city of Zaporizhzhia.
The Steel Plant's parent company, Metinvest Group, says seven people were killed and at least 24 injured in the strike, which it says hit as employees were making their way to a shelter after an air-raid alert was sounded.
President Zelenskiyy says the strikes included missiles supplied by North Korea, a day after warning Pyongyang was sending additional troops and missiles to Moscow.
“This is the first time in Russia’s history that they no longer have a secure strategic rear. For the first time, they cannot wage war without reinforcements from North Korea. They are now preparing to deploy an additional North Korean contingent on their territory. They have received, just imagine, additional ballistic missiles from North Korea.”
President Zelenskiyy has not presented any evidence to support his claim.
Russia's defence ministry says the strikes targeted a plant where steel is produced for the Ukrainian military.
It follows a Ukrainian drone strike in Nizhnekamsk on Monday, which Russian authorities say killed at least 13 people and wounded 39.
The Ukrainian President says he has handed a fresh proposal to US negotiators for a plan to end the more than four-year-long war with Russia.
“There was a briefing by the negotiating team. We have conveyed our proposals to the American side. And the United States can help strengthen our defence, first and foremost with air defence, and put pressure on Russia so that its plans are different, to prepare for an end to the war rather than prolonging it.”
Negotiations have largely stalled since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East, with US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner last in Moscow in January, and the pair yet to visit Kyiv.
Ukraine has repeatedly called for a ceasefire, and Russia says it wants settlement, but insists the solution must involve Ukraine fully ceding control of four regions.
Amid the recent exchange of strikes, Zelenskiyy reiterates Ukraine is willing to respond forcefully if Russia fails to take steps toward peace
“There will be more Ukrainian deep strikes, which should demonstrate to Russia and the Russians that peace is necessary. This must become even more apparent. So Putin, his administration, and everyone else in the aggressor state understand equally well: peace is the only option.”
President Zelenskiyy also claims Russia has plans to use upcoming September parliamentary election to push for a boost to troop numbers.
It follows the Russian Supreme Court's decision to bar the only officially-registered party that opposes Moscow's war in Ukraine from competing in the election.
On Monday, the court ruled in favour of a lawsuit filed by the small pro-Kremlin party Rodina, which alleged the Yabloko party had received undeclared campaign support.
Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov described the case as an unconstitutional attack, and an attempt to clear the field of political rivals.
“I would like to say that the court's decision has not yet entered into force. We have five days, and we will continue to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court. We have that right, and we will do everything possible within the law to have this decision overturned.”
Meanwhile, former Ukrainian detainees and Ukrainian officials are accusing Russia of systematically torturing prisoners of war and civilian detainees.
Speaking at a United Nations meeting, Ukrainian soldier Khuan Levya Garsiya says he was subjected to multiple forms of torture during his 1,183 days in captivity.
“Anything you can think of that can be done, hurtful, humiliating to a man, unwillingly. Anything that comes to your mind, not only verbal, physical abuse, daily beatings, electrocution, excessive exercises on the freezing cold when it's minus degree, minus 30 degree. Sexual abuse, everything that can be applied to a person into making a person break mentally, it was all applied to me and most of my comrades.”
Crimean Tatar activist Leniie Umerova, says she was detained while trying to visit her seriously ill father in Crimea.
“At the border control, when I tried to move to Crimea between Georgia and Russia, Russian security forces abducted me and put [me] in Russian jails. Been there, first time, three months, then they put me in another jail, another, another. First six months, I went through seven different jails. They did it just because they want to hide me from my closest ones.”
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has previously reported since 2022, 129 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been executed, and 48 have died in custody as a result of torture, denial of medical care, or other inhumane conditions of detention.
Russia rejects the allegations.
At a separate UN Security Council meeting, Russia's Deputy UN Representative, Maria Zaboloskaya, has called the accusations a 'disinformation campaign,' in turn alleging Russian prisoners in Ukraine have been subjected to torture, degradation and physical abuse.
