Key developments on April 16: * Ukrainian drones reportedly strike another Russian missile brigade linked to Sumy attack * North Korea earns over $20 billion aiding Russia's war effort, report says * Kyiv doesn't rule out North Korean participation in Russia's assault on Sumy, Kharkiv oblasts * Russia arms 'kamikaze' drones with chemical weapons,
Roughly 5,000 North Korean soldiers have already been killed or injured, but 6,000 remain in Russia's Kursk Oblast and are likely to be used in new assaults, Ukrainian intelligence said.
A South Korean think tank suggests North Korea prefers "in-kind and technical assistance" that enhances its own defense industry and supports its long-term strategic goals.
Key developments on April 15: * Ukrainian forces target Russian missile brigade behind deadly Sumy attack * Witkoff says '5 territories' key to proposed Russia-Ukraine deal after meeting Putin * North Korean artillery now dominates Russia's ammunition supply in war against Ukraine, investigation says * Azov, Khartiia commanders to lead 2 new National Guard
The majority of artillery shells used by Russian forces in Ukraine in 2024 were manufactured in North Korea, according to a joint investigation by Reuters and the Open Source Center (OSС), published on April 15.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also listed China, India, Brazil, and South Africa among those he sees as potential participants.
Key developments on March 27: * Russia preparing for new spring offensive in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, Zelensky says * ‘With or without the US’ — France, UK harden line over Ukraine at ‘Coalition of the Willing’ summit * North Korea sent 3,000 more troops to Russia to offset Ukraine war losses, South
The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim Jong Un personally inspected them and provided guidance to military officials.
Pyongyang has also reportedly supplied Moscow with more short-range ballistic missiles, 170 mm self-propelled howitzers, and 240 mm multiple rocket launchers.
"After he arrives in Pyongyang, Shoigu is scheduled to meet with Kim Jong Un and other North Korean officials," Russian state media reported.
Key developments on March 17: * Russia claims capture of Stepove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine denies * Ukrainian drones attack fuel facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast, governor claims * Ukrainian long-range drone successfully completes 3,000-kilometer test, Zelensky says * Territorial integrity, military size, alliances — FM Sybiha sets 3 'fundamentals' for potential peace talks
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha discussed the potential transfer of two North Korean POWs in a phone call.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, who supervised the launch, ordered the country's military to be in full nuclear strike readiness as "the most perfect deterrence and defence capacity."
North Korea has deployed additional troops to Russia, an official for South Korea's National Intelligence Agency claimed on Feb. 27.
Russian forces have ramped up attacks on Ukraine’s logistic networks in Kursk Oblast, further hampering the Ukrainian effort to hold on to the Russian territory it controls ahead of potential peace talks, analysts and soldiers on the ground told the Kyiv Independent. “The Russians have been on the offensive
The nuclear dimension has been a key aspect of the Russo-Ukrainian War since its onset in February 2014. Behavior in this war, not just of Moscow and Kyiv but of other states as well, has been conditioned by Russia’s possession and Ukraine’s lack of weapons of mass destruction.
This would mark the first time that the Russian munitions carrier Maia-1, sanctioned by the U.S. and the EU, entered European waters, the Financial Times noted.
Key developments on Feb. 19: * Trump calls Zelensky 'dictator,' warns of Ukraine's demise without elections * Reported drone strike against Russian oil refinery in Samara Oblast causes fire * Ukraine refutes Putin's claims of Russian offensive from Kursk Oblast * North Korean troops in Russia reportedly told they're fighting South Korean forces
One of the captured North Korean soldiers admitted that he and his fellow soldiers believed they were fighting South Korean troops, which heightened their morale and aggression, South Korean newspaper Chosun Daily reported.
"Only three countries — Ukraine, Russia, and North Korea — are gaining direct experience in full-scale 21st-century warfare," Kyrylo Budanov said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Moscow lost nearly 20,000 soldiers in the battles for Russia's Kursk Oblast alone.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky said the morale of Pyongyang's troops had been "broken" by the losses.
Key developments on Feb. 11: * Ukraine could trade territory in potential peace talks with Russia, Zelensky says * Ukraine strikes Russia's Saratov oil refinery, military confirms * US won't send troops to Ukraine, Pentagon chief says * North Korea has sent 200 long-range artillery guns to Russia, Seoul says * Ukrainian drones destroy Russian
Seoul further warned that Pyongyang is likely preparing to send additional troops and arms to back Russia's war in Ukraine, confirming earlier warnings by the Ukrainian intelligence.
Treatment for the Russian military in North Korea is provided free of charge in "the best hospitals and sanatoriums."
The move represents an apparent violation of U.N. resolutions prohibiting North Korea from sending its citizens to work overseas, which the Security Council passed after Pyongyang's intercontinental ballistic missile tests.
North Korea is expected to begin drone production this year with Russian technical assistance, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported on Feb. 8, citing undisclosed sources.
"A significant number of occupiers have been eliminated, we are re talking hundreds of Russian and North Korean servicemen," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Kyiv is open to negotiating with South Korea over the possible transfer of captured North Korean soldiers, Ukrainian Ambassador to Seoul Dmytro Ponomarenko said in an interview with The Korea Times published on Feb. 5.
Analysts believe North Korea is using the battlefield as a testing ground for its missile technology, enhancing its weapons for future use.
The operation in Kursk Oblast may become an "important part" of future negotiations to end Russia's war, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Key developments on Feb. 4: * Nearly 8,000 North Korean soldiers still fighting in Kursk Oblast, Budanov says * Ukraine's strike on Russian command center in Kursk Oblast causes 'significant losses,' General Staff says * At least 5 killed, 55 injured in Russian missile strike on Izium in Kharkiv Oblast * Russia
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