Russia, Ukraine Missile Strikes Draw Strong Western Condemnation... China and India Also Express Concern (Comprehensive)

Attack Targeting Rush Hour... Over 100 Casualties
G7 "Promise of Weapon Support"... Geopolitical Crisis Spreads
Local Korean Companies Also Affected... Concerns Over Prolonged War

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Hyunwoo Lee, Sunmi Park, Daeyeol Choi] Russia carried out its largest missile strike since the invasion of Ukraine, resulting in over 100 casualties in major Ukrainian cities. In particular, the Russian military deliberately launched attacks during rush hour when population movement is high, causing significant civilian casualties and sparking strong condemnation of Russia from the international community.

The United States and the Group of Seven (G7) Western countries have agreed to discuss countermeasures with Ukraine and promised additional weapons support. Some voices cautiously raise the prospect of direct intervention by the U.S. and the West if Russia, cornered on the battlefield, resorts to using nuclear weapons. China and India, which had previously been friendly to Russia by not participating in sanctions, have also expressed concerns about the spread of geopolitical crises.

According to the Associated Press on the 10th (local time), Russia launched a large-scale missile strike across 12 major Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Lviv. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Ukrainian military, Russia fired 84 missiles, of which 43 were intercepted, but the remaining missiles struck major urban areas.

Ukrainian authorities have reported at least 14 deaths and 97 injuries from this attack so far. This is the largest single missile strike since Russia's invasion.

Notably, the main targets of this strike were civilian activity areas in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and other major cities. Attacks were carried out on downtown areas, roads, and key infrastructure during the 6 to 7 a.m. rush hour when traffic congestion begins, causing fires in over 30 locations in Kyiv alone and expanding civilian casualties.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The United States and Western countries have unanimously condemned Russia's missile strikes. U.S. President Joe Biden stated in a declaration that "civilians have been killed and injured by missile attacks, and non-military targets have been destroyed," urging Russia to "cease its unjustified hostile actions and withdraw its forces from Ukraine."

The G7 countries plan to hold an emergency video conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the 11th to discuss the damage from the missile strikes and support measures. Western countries including the U.S. and Germany announced immediate supply of advanced air defense systems to Ukraine. German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht emphasized at a press conference that "the all-around air defense system IRIS-T SLM will be supplied to Ukraine within days."

The United Nations also announced it will actively condemn Russia. An emergency special session was held at the U.S. United Nations headquarters, led by the European Union (EU), to discuss a resolution condemning Russia's illegal annexation attempts of occupied Ukrainian territories.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

However, Russia shifted all responsibility to Ukraine, claiming the attack was retaliation for Ukraine's strike on the Crimean Bridge. Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a Security Council meeting held at the Kremlin, "This attack was carried out as a retaliatory measure for the explosion on the Crimean Bridge," adding, "If such incidents continue on our territory, Russia's response will become even harsher."

Experts warn that the Putin regime is moving in a more hardline direction to consolidate internal unity, which will prolong the war and increase the possibility of direct confrontation with the West. Michael Kofman, head of Russian studies at the U.S. think tank Center for Naval Analyses (CNA), told The New York Times (NYT), "The Putin regime faces demands and criticism from hardliners who want direct strikes on Ukraine and will have to escalate provocations further," adding, "This may give President Putin justification for prolonging the war but also significantly raises the risk of direct confrontation with the West."

China and India, which had opposed sanctions against Russia and supported Russia, unusually expressed concern over Russia's missile strikes and warned against the spread of geopolitical crises. Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a press briefing, "All countries deserve respect for their sovereignty and territorial integrity," and "Support should be given to all efforts that help peacefully resolve the crisis," indirectly criticizing Russia.

Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, said, "India will support efforts to calm the fighting," and "India is deeply concerned about the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, including infrastructure destruction and civilian deaths."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

As Russia attacks Kyiv again, Korean companies with corporations and branches in the area are facing growing concerns.

According to the industry on the 11th, about ten Korean companies with corporations or branches in Ukraine have all relocated their local staff to neighboring European countries or withdrawn them to Korea, so there have been no casualties from Russia's missile strikes on Ukraine. The building housing Samsung Electronics' research and development (R&D) center and sales corporation in Kyiv was partially damaged by a missile that landed about 150 meters away. Samsung Electronics explained that there were no casualties as hundreds of local employees had been switched to remote work.

Although the possibility of additional casualties is low even if Russia's missile strikes on Kyiv continue for the time being, Korean companies are unable to determine when to resume their suspended local operations, signaling a prolonged impact.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.