Tragic news struck the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odesa, as a Russian missile attack on a seafront park, known as the ’Harry Potter castle’, resulted in the death of at least five people and left 32 injured, including a four-year-old child and a pregnant woman.
In a recent development, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern over the delays in support from Nato countries to Ukraine, which have allowed Russia to gain an advantage on the battlefield. Ukrainian officials fear a major summer offensive from Russia, as they struggle with shortages in ammunition, air defense, and deep strike capabilities.
Meanwhile, in the southern Kherson region, one person lost their life due to Russian shelling in the past 24 hours. Additionally, UN sanctions monitors revealed that a North Korean ballistic missile hit Kharkiv on January 2, likely supplied to Russia illegally, raising concerns about North Korea’s involvement in arming Russia against Ukraine.
On a more positive note, Polish farmers have ended their two-month protest at border crossings with Ukraine, signaling a resolution to their grievances over farm imports and unfair competition.
In a show of solidarity, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, visited Ukraine, becoming the first British royal to do so since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. During her visit, she met with President Zelenskiy and delivered a message from King Charles III, emphasizing support for those affected by the conflict and advocating for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.