Putin sets task to drive Ukrainian troops from Russia's Kursk Oblast by 20 January – Zelenskyy

Only the lazy did not write about the problems there: overall, it took the system about two months to react properly,

Rybar, a respected pro-Russian blogger said on Telegram

Anashkin, was removed from office for false reports in the Seversk direction,

Rybar said, using the Russian version of the place name

Russia's own troops are not enough

Syrskyi said in a statement posted to messaging app Telegram in early November

Volodymyr Zelenskyypresident

The first battles with North Korean soldiers open a new page of instability in the world,

Zelensky said earlier this month

Part of the military from the DPRK was transferred to the border areas of the Belgorod region,

said Andriy Kovalenko, an official with Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, referring to North Korea by its official title, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Ukraine is no longer facing Russia. Soldiers from North Korea are standing in front of Ukraine.”

At the beginning of the year, he also addressed the matter of the alliances Russia has made with North Korea, stating

Volodymyr Zelenskyypresident

The fact that he [Putin] is most likely passing on personal requests to the command that ‘the fate of the Armed Forces rests on the Kursk operation’,

Zelenskyy said

Volodymyr Zelenskyypresident

He [Putin – ed.] wants to show that he has fulfilled, as he said, the task of occupying the entire Donbas, and he needs to push us out of the Kursk front. He has these two tasks,

Zelenskyy said

For Putin, the most important thing is to push us out of Russia’s Kursk Oblast. All these stories, all these indicators, strikes with new missiles, all this is not just for fun. He has set this task. I am sure he wants to push us out by 20 January. It is very important for him to demonstrate that he is in control of the situation. He is not in control of the situation."

Quote from Zelenskyy

It may be the case some, a lot, most of you, have negative views about Mr McGregor

As his barrister Remy Farrell SC was forced to acknowledge to the jury during his closing speech pleading for them to find in McGregor's favour

I wouldn't stand up for my own brother or father that did anything to a woman like that,

Lawrence told the jury

I would have loved to go to the top of a mountain and shout it from the hilltops but with the seriousness of the allegations… I took their advice.

He said

I can't believe I was in this room when that was happening to you.

to which she

Valerii Zaluzhnyivalerii

I believe that in 2024 we can absolutely believe that the Third World War has begun.

Valery Zaluzhny, who is now Ukraine's envoy to the United Kingdom, told the UP100 award ceremony in Kyiv

The tasks of 2022 are different from those of 2024.

The now-former commander-in-chief acknowledged Zelensky's decision in a brief statement, saying

John Healey (politician)defence Secretary

I won't be drawn on the operational details of the conflict

Asked to confirm reports Storm Shadow had been used by Ukraine, Defence Secretary John Healey said

We're not at war, but Ukraine certainly is.

Asked if the UK is 'at war', the PM told BBC local radio