Volodymyr Zelensky believes that North Korea is preparing to send up to 50,000 troops for deployment in Russia, amid fresh warnings Moscow could order an attack on a Nato country within weeks.
The Ukrainian president told United News on Saturday: “If at first it was about hundreds, then thousands, now it has been decided that from 30 to 50 thousand North Koreans [will go to] the territory of Russia.”
He claimed Pyongyang was planning to study the lessons of the war in Ukraine and could present a “threat” to “other states in the Asian direction”, urging closer cooperation between Kyiv and South Korea.
Earlier this week it emerged that US intelligence believes that Russian president Vladimir Putin could order an attack on a Nato member within weeks to test the alliance’s resolve.
US officials told the Wall Street Journal that the new reports considered the possibility of a small land incursion or cyber attacks across eastern Europe sometime between this autumn and 2029.
The likelihood of the worst case scenario - a cross-border incursion - gets more probably with time, according to the reports. The US has reportedly depleted key missile stockpiles in the war with Iran.
Romania rushes to sink 4 barges in the Danube to keep a nuclear power plant's second reactor running
Romania raced on Thursday to sink four barges laden with rock into the Danube River in an attempt to redirect water downstream toward a nuclear power plant, to buy more time before its second reactor is likely forced offline due to record-low water levels.
Extreme heatwaves and low rainfall across the region have left the Danube at record lows over the past week, forcing the shutdown of a reactor at Romania’s Cernavoda nuclear plant last week. The state-owned nuclear power plant accounts for about 20% of the country’s electricity generation when fully operational and uses river water to cool its reactors.
The four barges were loaded with rock that Romania’s military blasted from the river this week using explosives near the Danube’s Bala Canal. Once submerged, the barges will create an underwater barrier to redirect the water down the river’s main channel and toward the Cernavoda plant.
How explosive drone found near runway at German airport sparked fears of another ‘hybrid’ Russian attack on Nato
An explosive-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian plane at the Leipzig/Halle airport in east Germany late on Tuesday, prompting a counterterrorism investigation and fears of another hybrid attack on European soil.
Airport workers discovered the drone in a restricted cargo area near the southern runway at one of Europe’s biggest cargo hubs. Flights were later suspended and several aircraft were diverted from the airport.
Most operations had resumed by Wednesday morning as one runway was reopened, but the southern strip stayed closed while analysts examined the drone and removed its detonator, according to authorities.
Read more from James C. Reynolds here:
A drone likely from Ukraine explodes in Bulgaria near a gas pipeline close to Romania's border
A drone entered Bulgarian airspace on Saturday and exploded close to an international gas pipeline shortly after crossing the border from Romania.
There were no casualties or damage.The defense ministry in Sofia, Bulgaria's capital, later said there were indications the drone was the kind used by Ukrainian armed forces and that the incident was likely accidental.
Bulgaria and Romania are both members of NATO and the European Union.
Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the drone exploded just after 5 a.m. about 100 meters (109 yards) inside Bulgarian territory. It was not detected or identified while flying through either Romanian or Bulgarian airspace.
“There are no casualties or damage to buildings. The area has been cordoned off. We continue to monitor the situation,” Radev said following a government emergency meeting.
Russia wants 30,000 more North Korean soldiers to fight Ukraine. Is the West at risk?
Soldiers, weapons and now a missile unit have all been deployed by North Korea in a bid to support Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine.
It marks the country’s most significant involvement in a conflict since the 1950s.
In light of recent reports, here’s everything we know about the two countries’ growing military ties:
Germany now facing daily hybrid warfare attacks, says minister
Germany faces daily hybrid warfare attacks from abroad, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt was quoted as saying on Sunday, following a suspected attack attempt involving an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
Dobrindt told the newspaper Bild am Sonntag that foreign powers wanted to subdue Germany politically and socially by stirring up fear there.
"We're not at war, but we are the daily target of hybrid warfare," Dobrindt said. "Espionage, sabotage, cyberattacks, or covert operations by foreign powers aimed at destabilising Germany or inflicting direct harm are a constant reality."
The newspaper's advance release of the interview did not say whether he identified any countries in particular.
Trump shares the surprising geographical reason Russia doesn’t worry him
Donald Trump dismissed a question regarding Russia's increased attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine.
He stated that the United States is “separated by an ocean” from the conflict.
Trump expressed concern over the reported 25,000 young people being killed monthly in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
He indicated that the U.S. is “working on” the situation and believes “progress” is being made.
US Marine being held in Russian prison is gravely ill and near death, according to family
An American citizen, a former U.S. Marine, held in Russia for over four years on disputed charges, is gravely ill and at risk of dying, according to his family and advocates.
Robert Gilman, 32, a teacher detained since 2022, has been in a "dissociative stupor" for 47 days, a condition attributed to abuse suffered in prison, said Eric Lebson, chief strategy officer of Global Reach, an advocacy group representing the family. Since Tuesday,
Gilman has developed a high fever and elevated blood pressure.
Russia wants 30,000 more North Korean soldiers to fight Ukraine. Is the West at risk?
Soldiers, weapons and now a missile unit have all been deployed by North Korea in a bid to support Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine.
It marks the country’s most significant involvement in a conflict since the 1950s.
In light of recent reports, here’s everything we know about the two countries’ growing military ties.
Ukraine says it attacked 12 vessels linked to Russia's 'shadow fleet'
Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces said on Saturday that its forces had carried out attacks on 12 vessels allegedly belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet".
The attacks took place between Aug. 1 and Aug. 8 in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, the Ukrainian military said.
Catch up: Putin could attack Nato within weeks, US intelligence warns
Russian president Vladimir Putin could order an attack on a Nato country within weeks to test the alliance’s resolve, a new intelligence report from the US has warned.
Russia could attempt to escalate tensions by launching a small land incursion or firing cyber attacks across eastern Europe starting this autumn to 2029, the Wall Street Journal reported.
US officials have warned that Putin can attack the alliance in ways other than military and the goal in attacking Nato while raging its war in Ukraine would be to break the alliance, the report added.
This marks a major shift from intelligence reports that have earlier indicated Putin would not target Nato while fighting his war in Ukraine.
This comes as at least three people, including a child, were among those killed in Russian strikes in the region surrounding capital Kyiv in the early hours today, officials said.
The Russian strikes were recorded at three locations in the Boryspil district, near the capital. Three more people were injured in the attack, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv military administration.