Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of bombing its own civilians who were sheltering in a school in the Kursk region. Zelenskyy claimed that Russian forces dropped an aerial bomb on a boarding school while civilians were still in the process of evacuating.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy described the incident: “This is how Russia wages war—Sudzha, Kursk region, Russian territory, a boarding school with civilians preparing to evacuate. A Russian aerial bomb destroyed the building, even though dozens of civilians were inside.” He further pointed out that this tactic was similar to Russia’s actions in Chechnya decades ago and in Syria, and that Russian bombs continue to destroy Ukrainian homes in the same manner. “Even against their own civilians, the Russian army uses similar tactics,” he added.
According to CNN, Ukraine has made progress in the Kursk region, with the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reporting advancements as of January 26. However, the Russian military has claimed to have recaptured the area.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Russia launched a series of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, resulting in at least 12 deaths, as reported by Al Jazeera. Ukraine’s air force claimed to have shot down 56 drones and diverted 61 others.
In the central city of Poltava, a missile strike hit a residential building, killing at least eight people, including a child, and injuring 17 others, according to Ukraine’s Emergency Services.
On Friday, a Ukrainian military official indicated that North Korean troops, who had reportedly been stationed at the frontlines in the Kursk region, had likely withdrawn after suffering heavy losses. Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko, spokesperson for the Ukrainian military’s Special Operations Forces, told CNN that North Korean forces had not been seen on the frontlines for the past three weeks, suggesting they were likely forced to retreat after significant casualties.
