During his evening speech on October 26, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that North Korean forces may appear on the front lines fighting alongside Russian forces in the coming weeks.
Zelensky stated that “Russia is increasingly engaging North Korea in an ally relationship, and their soldiers could appear on the battlefield any day now fighting against Ukraine.” “Ukraine may be forced to fight North Korea in Europe.”
Zelensky made his comments amid reports that the Biden Administration believes that a contingent North Korean troops are en route to Russia’s Kursk Region to assist Moscow to counter an Ukrainian offensive launched in that region in August.
Zelensky stated on October 25, citing intelligence reports that Russia plans to send its first North Korean soldiers into a combat zone between Oct. 27 and 28.
Five military training grounds are reported to be providing training for these soldiers in Ekaterinoslavka and Knyaze-Volkonskoe in eastern Russia, as well as Ussuriysk, Ulan-Ude and Sergeevka.
The Wall Street Journal reports that although U.S. officials are yet to confirm South Korean reports claiming that North Korean soldiers would engage in direct combat with South Korean forces, they estimate their force could number thousands and be quickly assigned to combat roles.
Estimates of the number sent to the Ukraine/Russia frontline have varied. U.S. officials had estimated that around 3,000 North Korean soldiers were training in Russia. However, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the total number could be higher.
South Korean intelligence informed lawmakers that the number of North Korean troops in Russia could reach a 10,000 by December. Kyiv said Pyongyang had sent 12,000 soldiers to Russia, including 500 officer and three generals.
Zelensky, in his evening speech, called on Western allies “to commit to stronger decisions in support for Ukraine” as the threat of war’s escalation continued to rise.
“The world has the ability to stop war from spreading.” “Abstractions and words will not suffice – concrete actions are needed.”
On October 24, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stated that the country may review its ban on the supply of lethal weapons to Ukraine due to “North Korean military activity.”
South Korean law prohibits exporting weapons to active conflict areas, but Seoul has hinted repeatedly that this could be changed in light of the deepening military co-operation between Russia and North Korea.
According to the central electoral commission, Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream Party captured 53% of votes in the Oct. 26, parliamentary elections, with 70% precincts being counted.
On Oct. 26, the ruling Georgian Dream Party, led by billionaire Bidzina Ilvanishvili, and groups that aimed to end its 12-year rule, declared victory.
According to Ukrainian authorities, the casualties of the Russian missile attack on Dnipro‘s central-eastern city Dnipro that hit residential buildings as well as the Mechnikov Hospital late on October 25 have risen to 5 dead and 21 injured.
On Oct. 26, footage was released showing a person stuffing the ballot box in the southern Georgian town of Marnueli.
The government is currently auditing the exemption process until Nov. 15, to determine which businesses qualify for critical enterprises status. This reflects the government’s efforts to balance the country’s defense needs and economic stability.
Nino Lomjaria is a lawyer and a former ombudswoman who reported on October 26 that a voter observer was assaulted while filming the stuffing of a ballot box.
According to Le Monde, sources cited on October 25, Gazprombank is poised to buy the Russian operations of Auchan, one of Russia’s biggest banks, which is also under U.S. heavy sanctions.
This includes 1,690 casualties that Russian forces have suffered in the last day.
G7 leaders announced that they would begin disbursing funds by the end the year. The loan will help Ukraine meet its economic, defense and reconstruction needs.
During the Cold War, Sergiyev Posad-6 was a biological weapon research center. The Washington Post reports that a major renovation was started at the site soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine.
Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, reported that a Russian suicide drone struck a 25-story building in the Solomianskyi District on October 25, killing a girl aged 15 and injuring 5 others.
According to a U.S. government official, the Biden administration believes a contingent of North Korean soldiers is en route to Russia’s Kursk region in order to help Moscow counter a Ukrainian offensive launched in that region in August.
The North Korean foreign ministry stated on October 25 that any decision made to send troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine would be in accordance with international law. However, it did confirm if such a deployment has taken place.
“If Mr. Trump is so confident of his influence over Putin, would he be able to help free Azovstal’s defenders as well as all Ukrainians who are in Russian captivity immediately?” “Time is of the essence,” Ukrainian boxing world champion Oleksandr Uzyk wrote on X.
“Russia’s losses seem to be quite high.” “This month appears to be the most significant in terms of losses for Russia,” Janek Kesselmann said, the deputy commander at the Estonian Military Intelligence Center.
Ukraine’s military intelligence reported that Russia intends to assign an interpreter for every 30 North Korean soldiers to improve interaction on the battlefield. The report was based on an intercepted communication between service members of an Russian brigade located in Kursk Oblast.
Andrzej Dda, the Polish president, said that he had spoken to Kyiv regarding the possible transfer of South Korean arms but that his response was “unambiguous” to the allies.
Can Ukraine lower the age of mobilization? There’s an issue that many people don’t understand.
“Any outcome must be favorable to Russia, I say it directly, without embarrassment. It must be based upon the realities of the battlefield,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Rheinmetall has transferred to Ukraine, directly or indirectly, about 200 combat vehicles. This includes more than 100 Marder 1A3 models.
“After Kazan (Guterres), he wanted to come to Ukraine but the president didn’t confirm his visit.” Guterres will not be here because of the humiliation that sanity, international law, and international law suffered in Kazan,” AFP reported citing a high-ranking Ukrainian president source who refused to be named.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com