According to Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukrainian soldiers are defending against one of Russia’s strongest offensives since the war began. The Ukrainian military is currently under pressure, as Russia continues to conduct operations in Donetsk Oblast. The General Staff reported 126 clashes between the two forces on November 2. It was also revealed that Russia plans to involve over 7,000 North Korean troops in their offensive, a move that has drawn criticism from President Volodymyr Zelensky. He claims that if Ukraine had permission to use Western long-range weaponry, it could preemptively strike the locations where these troops are assembling.
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North Korean soldiers who have been deployed to support Russia in the Ukraine are expected to suffer significant losses due to their lack of training for the geography and climate, according to Estonian Colonel Ants Kiviselg. North Korea has sent nearly 12,000 troops to Russia, including 500 officers and three generals, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) however these soldiers have typically been trained to fight in mountainous terrain, unlike the conditions in Ukraine. Kiviselg suggests that communication issues between North Korean and Russian troops could also cause difficulties. His comments come as the Ukrainian conflict increases in intensity, with Russian forces reportedly advancing at its fastest rate since the early months of the war.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on allied nations to take action against the training of North Korean troops in Russia for deployment against Ukrainian forces. Zelenskyy raised the possibility of a preemptive strike on the training camps, but stated Ukraine requires approval to use Western long-range weaponry for the task. Western leaders view this development as a considerable escalation with potential implications for the Indo-Pacific region and possible technology transfers from Moscow to Pyongyang. Meanwhile, Russia has signaled it would interpret such a strike as a significant escalation, with Putin warning of war with the U.S. and NATO. In other news, Russia’s ongoing strikes on Ukraine continue to result in casualties and destruction of infrastructure, even as Ukraine reports a slowing in Russia’s drone campaign.
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South Korea and Canada have demanded the withdrawal of North Korean troops aiding Russia in its war against Ukraine and referred to the deployment as a significant escalation of tension, threatening security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. The call was made during a meeting of the two countries’ foreign and defense ministers in Ottawa. Both countries denounced North Korea’s increased military cooperation with Russia and its supply of ammunition and ballistic missiles to support Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. They are closely watching what Russia may be providing North Korea in return for its military support. The ministers agreed to deepen regional cooperation and intensify negotiations for a military and defense confidentiality agreement.
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The US Pentagon is sending an additional $425 million in military assistance to Ukraine, bringing total aid since the Russian invasion in February 2022 to $60.4 billion. The latest package includes air defense interceptors, munitions for high mobility artillery rocket systems, 155 mm artillery, armored vehicles, and anti-tank weapons drawn from US stockpiles. The announcement comes as Ukraine faces increasing missile strikes from Russian forces and prepares to confront over 10,000 North Korean soldiers deployed near its border. The city of Kharkiv was recently hit by a 500-kilogram glide bomb, killing three and injuring many.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called on international allies to act, rather than just observe, the presence of North Korean troops in Russia. He emphasised North Korea’s advancements in weapon production and modern warfare, and said that Ukrainian civilians would have to defend themselves against the soldiers. Despite having located where the North Korean soldiers are in Russia, Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine lacks the resources to strike them. He called for global action to avoid a potential expansion of Russia’s war against Ukraine. This call to action came after an interview where Zelenskiy criticised the limited response from his allies to Russia’s North Korean troop deployment.
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Poland has commenced building defensive fixtures along its border with Russia, a program named the “Eastern Shield”, according to Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The plan includes the construction of 800 kilometers of trenches along the 400-kilometer border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region and Belarus, minefields, anti-tank barriers, video surveillance systems, and more. Tusk emphasized Poland’s strategic role on NATO’s eastern flank and highlighted the project aims to secure the border during peace and make it impenetrable in war. The “Eastern Shield” is slated for completion in 2028, costing about $2.5 billion. Meanwhile, Baltic states are setting up over 1,000 concrete bunkers along their borders with Russia and Belarus, a project dubbed the “Baltic Defense Line”.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that Ukraine requested Tomahawk missiles from the US, after recent press reports revealed the request. He stated that the request was supposed to be confidential, and its public discussion shows a lack of confidentiality between partners. Zelenskyy sought these missiles as part of a long-range weapons packet for Ukraine’s Victory Plan, aimed at deterring further aggression from Russia.
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The revelation that 8,000 North Korean troops are stationed in Russia’s Kursk region is nothing short of astonishing. The world seems engrossed in other matters, yet here, in the shadows of two increasingly volatile nations, we have North Korea waging a proxy war in Europe. It boggles my mind how this isn’t a front-page headline everywhere, demanding urgent action and discussion. Are we collectively numb to the implications of this arrangement, or does it signal a deeper disarray within our response to global military dynamics?
The notion that these troops are potentially being deployed alongside their Russian counterparts only heightens my anxiety.… Continue reading
Russian neo-Nazi Jan Petrovsky, a member of the “Rusich” group, has been charged in Finland with committing five war crimes in Ukraine in 2014. Petrovsky and his accomplices allegedly killed 22 and seriously wounded four Ukrainian servicemen, while fighting on the side of the Russia-backed Luhansk separatist region. Petrovsky, the deputy commander of the unit, is also accused of violations of warfare laws and the treatment of wounded and deceased enemy soldiers. The Central Criminal Police have a clear picture of the events in Ukraine after the preliminary investigation, said Deputy Prosecutor General Jukka Rappe. The maximum penalty for these war crimes is life imprisonment.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood