A military intelligence source told Kyiv Independent that Russian authorities had detained 18 North Koreans who abandoned their positions within the Kursk Oblast of Russia.
Kyiv reported that Pyongyang, a close ally of Moscow, is preparing to send around 11,000 soldiers early next month to help Russia in its war against Ukraine. Some had already arrived, it added.
Suspilne, citing unnamed officials from the intelligence community, reported on October 15 that 18 of them had abandoned their positions in Russian areas near the Ukrainian border.
Hromadske, citing an intelligence source, reported that 40 North Korean soldiers were in Russia to exchange knowledge with their Russian counterparts.
After the training, 18 North Koreans were left for several days in a forest of Kursk Oblast, without food or instructions. They eventually abandoned their post and found the Russian command in October.
Hromadske reported that two days later, Russian authorities found and detained the missing soldiers, roughly 60 kilometers (almost forty miles) away from their original location.
South Korea confirmed that North Korean military personnel had been transferred to Russia. It called it a “grave threat to security.” U.S. Select Committee on Intelligence Chair Michael R. Turner stated that such a move must be a “redline” for the United States.
A video that appeared online on October 18 purportedly shows North Korean soldiers receiving equipment in a Russian military base and preparing to deploy against Ukraine.
Russia and North Korea have intensified their cooperation during the full-scale conflict, with Moscow receiving large packages of artillery and ballistic missiles.
A military intelligence source told Kyiv Independent that Russian authorities had detained 18 North Koreans who abandoned their positions within the Kursk Oblast of Russia.
The Air Force reported that Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 59 of 116 Shahed type attack drones launched overnight by Russia. According to reports, 45 drones “lost” in Ukraine and 10 others were still present at the time of publication.
The election results were tainted with allegations of Russian interference. Moldovan lawmakers claimed that Moscow spent millions in a campaign against Maia Sandu, the pro-Western incumbent and voted down the EU referendum.
Dmitry Rogozin said that the Russian occupation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast was a major target for the enemy’s unmanned vessels.
According to Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR), Russian Pilot Dmitry Golenkov sustained multiple head injuries. These were probably caused by a heavy hammer.
CNN reported that U.S. defense secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine on October 21 to ensure continued support before the uncertain U.S. presidential election.
According to regional authorities, the wounded include seven women ranging in age from 22 to 83 years old and five men ages 21 to 38. The attack caused some areas of the city to lose electricity.
This includes 1,710 casualties that Russian forces have suffered in the last day.
The memoir “Patriot” was compiled from the prison diaries of the Russian opposition leader and edited in part Yulia Nalnaya. The book will be published in 22 languages including Russian.
According to the drone developers, the Wild Hornets Group, “Sting” is expected to be able fly at altitudes of up to 10,000 feet and with speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. It is the world’s first drone designed to specifically target Russia’s Shaheds arsenal.
In his evening address of October 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Russia had launched 6,130 drones of the type Shahed since 2024.
On October 20, a large rally in support for Georgia’s entry into the European Union took place in Tbilisi’s Freedom Square, ahead of the upcoming elections scheduled for October 26.
Belarusian Hajun, a monitoring group, reported that the Belarusian Air Force had downed an Russian Shahed drone in Belarus’ Homel Oblast over night on October 20. This is only the third time that a Belarusian aircraft downed a Russian drone that entered its airspace.
Sources told the Kyiv Independent that drones were used to target the large Sverdlov Plant, owned by the state and located in Dzerzhinsk, a city in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. This is about 900 kilometers into Russia.
Oleksandr Vilkul said that eight of the injured were currently hospitalized, but their condition is “moderate”.
This includes 1,340 casualties that Russian forces have suffered in the last day.
The upcoming presidential elections in Moldova and the EU referendum on October 20 are considered crucial for determining its future path towards European Union integration.
Regional authorities reported that Russian forces attacked Shostka in Sumy Oblast overnight on October 19 with guided bombs and drones. According to MykolaNoha, the mayor of Shostka, one civilian was killed and 11 others injured in the attack.
On October 19, Jean-Noel Barrot, the French Foreign Minister, said in Kyiv that a Russian victory would enshrine the law of the strong and bring the international order into chaos.
The National Police confirmed three air strikes by Russian forces on Zaporizhzhia, in the southeast of Ukraine, using high-explosive unguided bombs.
According to a joint statement released following their meeting in Naples, the G7 defense ministers reaffirmed their commitment towards supporting Ukraine’s inclusion into NATO.
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