What's happened
Ukrainian forces have reportedly engaged North Korean troops in the Kursk region, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. Ukrainian officials claim around 11,000 North Korean soldiers are present in Russia, raising concerns about the implications for regional stability and international relations.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to BBC News, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed that North Korean troops have engaged in combat, stating that these 'first battles with North Korea open a new chapter of instability in the world.' Meanwhile, The Guardian reported that Ukrainian officials have indicated North Korean troops have already been shelled in the Kursk region, highlighting the immediate military implications of their presence. SBS noted that while Russia has not officially acknowledged the deployment of North Korean soldiers, President Vladimir Putin has not denied their presence, suggesting a tacit acceptance of this military collaboration. This situation has raised alarms among G7 foreign ministers, who condemned the increased military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, emphasizing the potential for a dangerous expansion of the conflict.
How we got here
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has intensified since the invasion in 2022. Recent reports indicate that North Korea has deployed troops to support Russia, prompting Ukraine to respond militarily. This development has alarmed neighboring countries and raised tensions in the region.
More on these topics
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Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
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North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.
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Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy is a Ukrainian politician, actor and comedian who is the 6th and current president of Ukraine, serving since May 2019.
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Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.
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Rustem Enverovych Umerov is a Ukrainian politician, businessman, investor, philanthropist and the current Defence Minister of Ukraine.