President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian troops were holding their lines in Russia’s Kursk border region. Meanwhile, Russian drones have attacked central Ukrainian cities.
Russian forces had tried to dislodge Ukrainian troops from positions in Russia’s Kursk border region, but Ukrainian forces were holding their lines, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Meanwhile, Russia launched another massive drone attack on central regions of Ukraine.
Here are the latest developments on Russia’s war in Ukraine from Sunday, October 13:
Zelenskyy makes fresh appeal for Western military aid
“Time must not be wasted a clear signal of resolve must be sent,” Zelenskyy posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“Our partners have the ability to provide the necessary quantity and quality of air defense systems, make decisions for our sufficient long-range capabilities, and ensure the timely delivery of defensive aid to our troops,” he added.
https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1845385148587459069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1845385148587459069%7Ctwgr%5E642ba95168f625ae7365755a3b03c04b09e874c5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dw.com%2Fen%2Fukraine-updates-zelenskyy-says-troops-hold-kursk-positions%2Flive-70479366
Zelenskyy said Russia had dropped around 900 glide bombs over Ukraine in the last week, in addition to attacks with 40 missiles and 400 strikes with drones of various types.
Last week, Zelenskyy visited Rome, Paris and London, and met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.
Ukraine is demanding the delivery of long-range weapons from the West for strikes against military targets deep inside Russia.
Russia says captured another east Ukrainian village
Russia has captured another eastern Ukrainian village, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Citing the Russian Defense Ministry, it said Moscow’s forces have now taken Mykhailivka, at the gates of the town of Selydove, and south of Pokrovsk.
The information has not been independently verified.
Selydove has been badly damaged by months of shelling and has seen most of its population flee.
Russia has been trying for weeks to capture Pokrovsk — a mining town that was home to some 60,000 people before Moscow launched its offensive.
Russian troops have moved westwards in the Donetsk region over the past few months, with Ukraine’s military conceding this weekend that the situation was “very difficult.”
Russia launches drone attack on Ukraine
Russia launched another massive drone attack on Ukraine late Saturday.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, several groups of drones were moving across central Ukraine, such as the Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Cherkasy and Kyiv regions.
The drones are constantly changing their course, the air force said on the Telegram messaging app.
Meanwhile, the Kyiv regional military administration said on social media that air defense is repelling the drone attack over the region and asked people to remain in shelters.
Zelenskyy says Ukraine ‘holding the lines’ in Russia’s Kursk region
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv’s forces were holding their ground in Russia’s Kursk border region.
Ukrainian forces have held part of the region since an incursion in early August.
“Regarding the Kursk operation, there were attempts by Russia to push back our positions, but we are holding the lines,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
He also said that the situation for Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donetsk region and the southern Zaporizhzhia region was “very difficult.”
Zelenskyy also said that, with the help of Western investment, he wants to significantly expand arms production in his country.
“Our industrial capacity allows us to produce far more drones, more shells, and military equipment than our country’s financial capabilities allow,” Zelenskyy said.
He thanked all the partners who have already invested in the Ukrainian defense industry. “Thanks to these investments, we have significantly increased production, particularly of drones,” the Ukrainian president said.
Earlier this week, Russia announced its forces had recaptured two villages in the Kursk region.
Ukraine has said it aims to create a buffer zone in Kursk to stop the Russian shelling of Ukrainian border regions. Zelenskyy also said that Kyiv aims to draw Russian forces away from the eastern frontline in Ukraine’s Donbas.
