Ukraine updates: Zelenskyy says Iran, N. Korea 'accomplices'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has told the UN Security Council that Iran and North Korea are "accomplices" in Russia's war.

Both countries have been widely accused by Western intelligence of providing weapons to Russia, with Iran recently said to have sent short-range missiles.

"Russia has no legitimate reason — none at all — for making Iran and North Korea de facto accomplices in its criminal war in Europe, with their weapons killing us, killing Ukrainians," Zelensky said.

Addressing the special UN Security Council session attended by a representative of Russia, Zelensky also described Moscow as insincere in its calls for dialogue and that talks alone would not bring peace.

"[Russian President Vladimir] Putin has broken so many international norms and rules that he won't stop on his own, Russia can only be forced into peace, and that is exactly what's needed — forcing Russia into peace, as the sole aggressor in this war, the sole violator of the UN Charter," Zelenskyy, clad in his trademark military fatigues, said.

"We know some in the world want to talk to Putin," Zelenskyy said, "to possibly hear from him that he's upset because we are exercising our right to defend our people."
Zelenskyy called such views "insanity."

Russian glide bombs have killed three people and injured at least 31 others in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, officials there said

Others were feared trapped under rubble.

"The targets of Russian bombs are an apartment building, a bread factory, a stadium," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, referring to other places that were hit. Zelenskyy noted that these are places where ordinary people carry out their lives. 

Authorities said a glide bomb hit a high-rise building directly.

Earlier, Mayor Ihor Terekhov had written on Telegram that bomb strikes in four districts had damaged two high-rise buildings. Kharkiv is about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) from the Russian border and comes under attack almost daily.

US President Joe Biden says Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has failed and urged the United Nations to keep supporting Kyiv until it emerges victorious.

"Putin's war has failed at its core aim. He set out to destroy Ukraine, but Ukraine is still free," Biden said in his last speech to the UN General Assembly.

Biden said the world had to choose whether to sustain support for Ukraine or walk away.

"My answer is we will not let up on our support for Ukraine," he said.

At least one person was killed and several others were injured in Russian strikes on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia overnight.

"One man died and another six people were injured including a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy as a result of Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia," the region's governor Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram.

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched at least 88 drones — most of which were shot down — plus four missiles.

Meanwhile, Russia's air force downed 13 Ukrainian drones overnight, according to Russian state media.

Six drones were reportedly shot down each over the Belgorod and Kursk regions, while one was downed over the Bryansk region.

Two civilians were wounded by Ukrainian strikes in the Russian-annexed part of Donetsk, according to Russian-installed local officials.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reiterated that Germany would not supply Ukraine with long-range missiles on Monday.

Scholz said the German government had already made "a few decisions" regarding military support for Ukraine "that are very clear to me."

The German leader also said Germany would keep restrictions that prevent Ukraine from firing missiles deep into Russian territory.

"That is not compatible with my personal stance ... We will not do that. And we have good reasons for it," said Scholz, who is in New York City for the UN General Assembly.

Ukraine has asked its allies to supply long-range weapons in order to push back against Russian forces.

But the German government has repeatedly declined to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles, which have a range greater than 500 kilometers (310 miles).

Some opposition figures in Germany have called on Germany to change its position, especially since the US, Britain and France have already supplied Ukraine with cruise missiles that have a range of up to 300 kilometers.

Russian forces have begun advancing into the eastern Ukrainian town of Vuhledar in the Donetsk region, according to Russian state media and several pro-Russian war bloggers on Tuesday.

The hilltop town is regarded by some as a stronghold because it has so far resisted Russian capture since the invasion in 2022.

"Russian units have entered Vuhledar — the storm of the town has begun," said Yuri Podolyaka, a Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian military blogger.

Meanwhile, Russian state media was targeted by a pincer movement with fighting underway in the east of the town.

Ukraine's general staff confirmed on Tuesday that Russia had made attempts to capture Ukrainian positions near Pavlivka and Vuhledar. However, no further details were supplied.

Ukrainian presidential advisor Vladyslav Vlasiuk said that around 60% of foreign parts found in Russian weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine came via China.

"If you take all the usual types of weapons and count the foreign made components – about 60% would be coming from China. We have had lengthy discussions with some manufacturers about this," Vlasiuk told reporters on Tuesday.

"The PRC (China) is the biggest problem I would say."

Vlasiuk said parts used in drones, missiles and surveillance tech have also come from the United States, the Netherlands, Japan and Switzerland, among others.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes the end of the war is closer than many people think, he said in an interview with American broadcaster ABC.

"I think that we are closer to the peace than we think," Zelenskyy was quoted as saying. "We are closer to the end of the war." 

In the interview, he urged the US to continue its strong support for Ukraine.

Afterwards, in a post on Telegram, Zelenskyy said Washington could take decisive action to help end the war in Ukraine

"Now, at the end of the year, we have a real opportunity to strengthen cooperation between Ukraine and the United States," he said.

"Decisive action now could hasten the just end of Russian aggression against Ukraine next year." 

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants the Democrats to win the upcoming election.

"I think Zelenskyy is the greatest salesman in history. Every time he comes into the country, he walks away with $60 billion (€53 billion)," Trump said at a campaign rally in western Pennsylvania.

"He wants them to win this election so badly, but I would do differently — I will work out peace."

In a statement emailed to the Reuters news agency, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris' campaign slammed Trump for not having said he wants Ukraine to win the war.

zc/wmr (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)