Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that Russia intends to bring in 30,000 North Korean troops to join the conflict. According to Zelenskiy, preparations to receive these soldiers have been underway in Russia's Voronezh region since June. This follows a mutual defense pact that saw North Korea send approximately 14,000 soldiers to fight in the Kursk region in 2024 after a Ukrainian incursion. Zelenskiy also stated that North Korea is preparing to supply Russia with new ballistic missile launchers.
Recent Russian missile strikes have caused significant casualties across Ukraine. In the Kyiv region, strikes killed at least 10 people and injured around 100 others, with the Ukrainian Air Force reporting that Russia targeted the city with ballistic missiles on Sunday. Additionally, at least five people were killed in the city of Sloviansk.
Meanwhile, an attack on resorts in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia left eight people dead, including two children, according to the Kremlin-installed regional head. These events occur as Ukrainian drone attacks have successfully stalled Russian army advances in an expanded campaign by Kyiv.