A new stage opens in the Ukraine war. The first North Korean soldiers have already arrived at the front line in the Russian region of Kursk, bordering Ukraine, where Ukrainian troops occupy part of the territory following the incursion last August, as confirmed by Ukrainian military intelligence on Thursday.
The Pentagon acknowledged for the first time the presence of North Korean troops in Russian territory, while South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) estimated that around 3,000 soldiers have already been sent by Pyongyang to the Russian Federation, where they would be receiving training to join Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.
According to the US, if these North Korean soldiers "get involved in active combat operations within Ukraine, it would be destabilizing for the Indo-Pacific region." "Of course, that would have an impact on our allies, whether in Europe or in the Indo-Pacific."
Putin says that whatever the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine, "it must be in favor of Russia"
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that whatever the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine, "it must be in favor of Russia," in an interview to be broadcast on Russian television on Friday, with some excerpts released on Telegram, as reported by Efe.
"Whatever the outcome, it must be in favor of Russia, I say it openly, without any hesitation. And it must also be based on the realities on the battlefield," said the Kremlin leader to the host of the program '60 Minutes', Olga Skabeyeva.
BRICS summit calls for peace in Gaza and Ukraine, but postpones group expansion
The BRICS summit, chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin, called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, and a prompt peaceful resolution in Ukraine, although it postponed the expected expansion of the group, which several Latin American countries aspire to join.
Zelensky: "The first North Korean soldiers will be deployed to the front line in two days"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Friday, citing information gathered by his intelligence services, that the first North Korean soldiers, who according to Seoul, Washington, and Kiev are already receiving training in Russia, will be sent with the Russian Army to the front line within two days, as reported by Efe.
"According to intelligence information, on the 27th or 28th of October, the first North Korean military personnel will be deployed by Russia in combat zones," said Zelensky after meeting with his military and security leadership.
The Ukrainian president described the alleged imminent deployment of North Korean soldiers to the front line as an "obvious escalation" by Russia.
South Korean delegation to inform the EU and NATO about the North Korean deployment in Russia
A South Korean government delegation will visit Brussels next week to inform representatives of NATO and the European Union (EU) about the dispatch of North Korean troops to Russia to allegedly support Moscow on the battlefield in Ukraine, as announced by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) today.
The delegation, led by the first deputy director of the NIS, will visit NATO headquarters in Brussels on Monday to provide details on the growing military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, as reported by the South Korean intelligence agency in a statement.
Representatives from the 32 NATO member countries are expected to attend the briefing, followed by a similar session in the EU's Political and Security Committee, according to the NIS.
Putin says that Russia and North Korea will decide on military assistance outlined in bilateral agreement at the appropriate time
President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia and North Korea will make a decision on whether to provide the military assistance outlined in their bilateral agreement when the time comes, as reported by Reuters.
"When we have to decide something, we will decide... but it is our sovereign decision whether we will implement it, if not, if we need it," he said in an interview with state television.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed the mutual defense pact during Putin's visit to Pyongyang in June.
Ukraine destroys 36 Russian drones in overnight attack
Ukraine destroyed 36 out of the 63 drones launched by Russia during a nighttime attack, the Kiev Air Force announced on Friday.
The drones were shot down in various parts of Ukraine, while 16 were "lost in their location," they added.
US maintains its red lines with Kiev and opts for Ukrainian weapons against Russia
Months of intense campaigning by Kiev for Washington to lift the ban on Ukraine using US missiles against military targets inside Russia have not borne fruit, and the White House has ended up opting for an alternative solution, as reported by Efe.
During his visit to Kiev on Monday, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin announced two additional packages of military aid to Ukraine. The first, worth $400 million, will allow the Ukrainian Army to be reinforced with ammunition, military equipment, and weapons. However, it is the second package that represents a novelty in US military assistance policy to Ukraine.
In his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Austin promised an unprecedented investment of $800 million in the Ukrainian military industry so that Kiev can increase the production of long-range weapons to strike Russia deep within its territory.
Usyk urges right-wing 'influencer' Joe Rogan to ask Trump to help Ukraine
Ukrainian world boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk has pleaded with American right-wing opinion leader Joe Rogan to ask US presidential candidate Donald Trump to use his alleged influence over Russian President Vladimir Putin to secure the release of Ukrainians imprisoned in Russia, as reported by Efe.
In addition to hosting one of the most followed podcasts in pro-Trump right-wing circles in the US, where he is scheduled to interview the Republican presidential candidate on Friday, Rogan describes himself on his social media account with 13 million followers as "a fan of mixed martial arts" and is also a passionate and regular commentator on boxing.
Putin states that US-Russia relations will depend on Washington after the elections
Vladimir Putin estimated on Thursday that Russia's relationship with the United States will depend on Washington after the November presidential elections and praised Donald Trump's sincerity about his desire to achieve peace in Ukraine, as reported by Afp.
"The development of Russian-American relations after the elections will depend on the United States. If they show openness, we will too. And if they don't want to, there is no problem," declared the Russian leader at a press conference at the end of the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan.
Guterres reiterates to Putin that the invasion of Ukraine goes against the UN Charter and calls for peace
UN Secretary-General António Guterres met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, where he reiterated his opposition to "the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a violation of the United Nations Charter and international law," while calling for peace without referring to potential negotiations between the two countries, as reported by Efe.
The UN released a brief statement on the content of the meeting between Guterres and Putin, held at the end of the BRICS group summit, which took place behind closed doors and without supporting images.