MOSCOW
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged on Friday that the battlefield situation is “tense” for Ukraine’s military, particularly in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Kharkiv.
In a Telegram statement, Zelenskyy based his assessment on information from Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. He noted that North Korean military units are expected to join the fighting on Russia’s side next week.
Zelenskyy emphasized that North Korea’s involvement in combat must elicit a firm response, urging for significant pressure on both Moscow and Pyongyang to adhere to the UN Charter and to address the escalation.
He also mentioned that Ukraine’s operations in Kursk are ongoing, with armed forces successfully carrying out their objectives.
When asked about North Korean troops in Russia during a press conference in Kazan, President Vladimir Putin neither confirmed nor denied their presence. He stated that Russia and North Korea have signed a Treaty on Strategic Partnership, pledging mutual military support.
Putin added that the specifics of their military collaboration would be determined through discussions on the treaty’s implementation and that communication with North Korean officials would continue as the situation develops.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE