Moldova’s President Maia Sandu celebrates with staff and supporters after winning the second round of the Presidential election, Chisinau, November 3, 2024 (Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty)

Sunday’s Coverage: Zelenskiy Calls For Tougher Sanctions on Russia Amid 2,000+ Drone Attacks in October

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1336 GMT:

At least 15 people, including four police officers, have been injured in Russia’s latest assault on Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv.

The attack damaged a supermarket, multi-story apartment buildings, commercial facilities, and cars.

Scores of civilians, as well as police officers and rescuers, have been slain or injured in recent weeks by Russian glide bombs.

UPDATE 0652 GMT:

North Korean soldiers deployed in the Kursk region in western Russia have come under fire, says Andrii Kovalenko of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.

Kovalenko did not provide any details. Ukraine has controlled part of Kursk since a cross-border incursion on August 6.

Ukrainian, South Korean, and American intelligence estimates around 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last Thursday that around 8,000 are in Kursk.

The UN joined the expressions of concern on Sunday.

Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for Secretary General António Guterres, said in a statement:

The Secretary General is very concerned about reports of troops from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea being sent to the Russian Federation, including their possible deployment to the conflict zone.

This would represent a very dangerous escalation of the war in Ukraine. Everything must be done to avoid any internationalization of this conflict.

UPDATE 0637 GMT:

The mayor of Kupyansk, in the Kharkiv region in northeast Ukraine, has spoken of a “critical” situation near the city as Russian forces try to advance.

Speaking from an office bunker, Andriy Besedin, described the situation on the eastern side of the Oskil River, to the south of Kupyansk. He said 1,400 people, mostly the elderly, are refusing to evacuate from their homes despite having no electricity, water, or gas.

We are going flat to flat and driving around with loudspeakers. We say: “Please leave. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”

The pensioners think the Russians won’t hurt them. We tell them the situation is different from 2022 and that they will get killed.

The Russians seized Kupyansk in the early days of their full invasion from February 2022. The city was liberated in the autumn by a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

Besedin said Russian forces are trying to flatten the city, where around 2,200 residents remain, with bombing and shelling. Russian attack drones are flying above the city, targeting people waiting at bus stops.

“We can’t deliver humanitarian aid. They see a pick-up and hit it with a drone. You can’t outrun them,” the mayor said.

A Russian warplane dropped a 1,500 kg (3,300 pound) guided bomb on the civic building next to Besedin’s office, killing three people. Other missiles have struck Kupiansk’s museum, football ground, meat factory, market, and Palace of Culture.

Besedin reflected:

Our guys are fighting for every centimetre. Unfortunately the civilised world isn’t giving us enough weapons. What about democratic values?

Stopping Russia is our collective responsibility. If we fail, Putin will attack the Baltic states and Poland.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Moldova’s pro-Europe President Maia Sandu has won re-election, defeating a pro-Russia opponent and boosting Chisinau’s effort to join the European Union.

With 98% of the ballots counted in the runoff, Sandu led with 54.35% over Kremlin-backed Alexandr Stoianoglo of the Socialist Party. The remaining votes are from the Moldovan diaspora, which strongly backs the President.

Two weeks ago, Moldovans narrowly backed the referendum for EU accession, with 50.42% voting Yes despite an intense Russian effort to block approval.

Ukraine War, Day 971: Moldova Defies Russia’s Subversion to Vote for EU Membership

Moldova borders Ukraine, which Vladimir Putin has been trying to conquer since February 2022. Both applied for EU membership in March 2022, and were granted candidate status in June 2022.

Russian troops have occupied the Transnistria region of Moldova since 1992.

Moldova’s authorities say the Kremlin spent at least €100 million to spur protests and manipulate votes. Around 130,000 Moldovans, almost 10% of normal voter turnout in the country of 2.5 million, were bribed in an “unprecedented, direct attack”.

On Sunday, Sandu’s National Security Advisor, Stanislav Secrieru, wrote that Chisinau was “seeing massive interference by Russia in our electoral process…an effort with high potential to distort the outcome”.

Sandu: “You Are Freedom, Hope, and Resilience”

Sandu declared in her victory speech that, having listened to the voices of her supporters and those of her opponent, she would serve as a President for all citizens.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Sandu:

It takes a rare kind of strength to overcome the challenges you’ve faced in this election.

I’m glad to continue working with you towards a European future for Moldova and its people.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy added: