LIVE UKRAINE. NATO boss expects long war – Russia: drone attacks repulsed in Crimea and Moscow | Abroad

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is also spending Sunday in Russia. Kim will according to the Russian state news agency ‘RIA’ some visit food companies.

Russia’s ambassador to North Korea told RIA that Kim is interested in “a wide range of topics” during his visit to Russia. “From what I understand and as far as I can judge, he is satisfied with what this visit yielded“, said this Alexander Matsegora. “But I emphasize; the visit is not over yet, it is still ongoing.”

On Saturday, Kim was guided by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to a military base, where the two viewed strategic bombers, hypersonic missiles and a warship.

According to the North Korean state news agency ‘KCNA’ Kim and Shoigu During the visit, we will reflect on the practical steps that countries can take to become closer to work together in the military field.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned in an interview published on Sunday not to hope for a quick end to the war in Ukraine, as the Ukrainian army is engaged in a counter-offensive to push back Russian troops.

“Most wars last longer than anticipated when they started,” Stoltenberg emphasized in the interview with the German media group Funke. “That is why we must prepare for a long war in Ukraine.”

The war began in February 2022, when Russian forces invaded Ukraine. The Ukrainian army has been carrying out a counter-offensive since June to push back Russian forces in the south and east, but only a limited number of cities have been recaptured.

“We all want peace soon,” Stoltenberg said. “But at the same time we must recognize: if President (Volodymyr, ed.) Zelensky and the Ukrainians stop fighting, their country will no longer exist.“

“If President (Vladimir, ed.) Putin and Russia lay down their arms, we will have peace,” Stoltenberg said.

Regarding Ukraine’s desire to join NATO, Stoltenberg said: “There is no doubt that sooner or later Ukraine will become a member of NATO.” Kiev moved closer to NATO during the alliance’s summit in July, he explained.

“When this war is over, we have security guarantees for Ukraine are needed. Otherwise history could repeat itself” he warned.

At the NATO summit in Vilnius, the alliance’s leaders agreed that Ukraine can become a member of NATO if certain conditions are met. The leaders of the United States and Germany emphasized that reforms to protect democracy and the rule of law are among those conditions.

During the night from Saturday to Sunday, Moscow reported that it had repelled several drone attacks.

The Russian anti-aircraft defense has A drone was shot down early on Sunday over the Istra district, about 70 kilometers northwest of Moscow. This was said by the mayor of the Russian capital. “According to preliminary information, there was no damage, nor were there any casualties where the debris fell,” Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on the messaging app Telegram.

Russian air defense systems also destroyed four drones launched by Ukraine off the coast of Crimea in the early hours of Sunday. The Russian Ministry of Defense said this in the messaging app Telegram.

The ministry does not want to say whether there is any damage or casualties. News agency ‘Reuters’ could not independently verify the report. Russia illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula in 2014

In its counter-offensive, the Ukrainian army is pushing back Russian troops by about 200 to 300 meters a day, says Dutch NATO Admiral Rob Bauer. At the same time, Russia is becoming increasingly dependent on “unreliable actors” due to Western sanctions and diplomatic pressure. Read more here.