Russian troops fail to advance as Ukraine garners military, financial aid
Al JazeeraBattles continue in Kharkiv as President Putin signs a strategic agreement with North Korea, which includes a defensive alliance. On Wednesday, Colonel Yuriy Povkh, spokesman for Ukraine’s Kharkiv forces, said “dozens” of Russian soldiers were pinned down in central Vovchansk. The White House said it would “support the full range of Ukraine’s current defensive needs now and over the long term by helping Ukraine win the war”. “Our lawyers and military are currently working on this.” Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday, which, he said, included “mutual assistance in the event of aggression”. Ukraine was not permitted to use US-made Army Tactical Missile Systems against targets in Russia, other than in the areas immediately north of Kharkiv, where the new incursion was launched on May 10.