Russia and Ukraine are expected to hold another round of negotiations on Wednesday in Istanbul, but the two warring countries have flatly rejected each other’s demands.

In a fresh display of growing strategic ties, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui in Wonsan, North Korea, on Saturday. During the meeting, Pyongyang publicly reaffirmed its strong support for Russia's military campaign in Ukraine,

The attacks came hours after brief direct talks failed to make any progress on steps to end nearly three-and-a-half years of war.