Ukraine: Russia steps up bombings as FM travels to Pyongyang

Russia launched 597 drones and 26 missiles in an overnight air assault on Ukraine according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Aa a result, at least two civilians were killed in the western Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Pyongyang for talks with Moscow's North Korean allies.

Here is a roundup of the latest news on Russia's war in Ukraine on July 12, 2025:

07/12/2025July 12, 2025

Russian foreign minister arrives in North Korea

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Pyongyang, according to North Korean state media.

Lavrov, who traveled from this week's ASEAN summit in Malaysia, is scheduled to remain in the country until Sunday.

During his stay — the latest high-level trip by a Russian to the hermit kingdom — Lavrov will meet with North Korean Foreign Ministry officials.

Upon departing North Korea Lavrov will travel to China, where he will attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) — an economic and security alliance consisting of Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — on Monday and Tuesday.

North Korea has grown to be one of Russia's closest allies since the launch of the war in Ukraine.

Beyond seeking to assist one another with trade and tourism projects, the two increasingly sanctioned countries have mutual defense agreements and North Korea has sent more than 10,000 soldiers to fight in Ukraine.

South Korean intelligence has said Pyongyang may be preparing to send more in the coming weeks.

07/12/2025July 12, 2025

Russia launches another massive overnight attack on Ukraine

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned overnight Russian drone and missile attacks that authorities say killed at least two people and injured 14 more in the western city of Chernivtsi, near Ukraine's border with Romania.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy  said on his Telegram account that Moscow had launched a total 597 drones and 26 missiles. 

The western cities of Lviv and Lutsk, near Ukraine's border with Poland, were also heavily damaged — with over 50 apartment, school and municipal buildings getting hit in Lviv alone. Major fires were reported as well.

Targets in central and eastern Ukraine were also hit say authorities, with damage reported in Kharkiv and Kirovohrad Oblast.

"Russia continues to escalate its terror, launching another barrage of hundreds of drones and missiles, damaging residential areas, killing and injuring civilians," wrote Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on X.

"Russia’s war machine produces hundreds of means of terror per day. Its scale poses a threat not only to Ukraine, but to the entire transatlantic community."

Sybiha urged lawmakers in the EU and US to increase sanctions on Russia to stop its arms production and thus the endless nightly onslaught of drones and missiles mainly upon the country's civilian population.

07/12/2025July 12, 2025

Welcome to our coverage

Welcome to DW's coverage of the latest developments in Russia's war in Ukraine. 

On Saturday, we start with Russia launching yet another massive overnight air assault. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned Russian "terror" and the scale that it has grown to. 

Sybhia's Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, meanwhile, has arrived in Pyongyang. There he will meet with North Korean foreign ministers.

Stay tuned for more news and analysis.