Ukraine-Russia war live: Russian missile hits Dnipro as Zelensky warns of North Korean troops joining Putin
Russian missile strikes residential areas and a medical facility killing three including an eight-year-old girl and a teenage boy
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A Russian missile attack hit residences and a medical facility in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Friday evening, killing three people and injuring at least nine, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said.
Mr Lysak, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said an eight-year-old girl and a teenage boy and were among the injured.
North Korean troops will be deployed into Ukraine to fight with Russian forces as early as this weekend, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on Friday.
This would be a major escalation in the war with geopolitical consequences now reaching the Indo-Pacific region, western officials warned, as the grinding conflict approaches three years.
Ukrainian intelligence had determined that “the first North Korean military will be used by Russia in combat zones” between Sunday and Monday, Mr Zelensky said. He added that it was an “obvious escalating move by Russia”, but provided no further details on where North Korean troops might be sent.
Vladimir Putin has not denied the presence of North Korean troops in Ukraine as he wrapped up the Brics summit in Kazan, heavily overshadowed by Ukraine war talks.
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North Korean troops to be deployed within days, Zelensky says
The Ukrainian military could be defending attacks by North Korean troops as soon as Sunday or Monday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ukrainian intelligence had determined that the North Korean military was ready to be deployed by Putin’s forces within days, Zelensky said, in what he described as an “obvious escalating move by Russia”.
He did not provide any details on where the troops might be deployed.
It comes after Russian president Vladimir Putin was asked about satellite photos of North Korean troops in Russia during the Brics summit. “Images are a serious thing, if there are images, then they reflect something,” he said.
The US said on Wednesday that Russia is training 3,000 North Korean troops to fight on Ukrainian soil.
Russian troops advancing towards key eastern town, says UK intel
Russian troops are advancing towards the town of Selydove in the eastern Donetsk region, a UK Defence Intelligence report has found.
The town is en route to the vital Ukrainian logistics hub of Pokrovsk, on a frontline which Putin’s forces are focussing much of their manpower.
Russian forces “almost certainly” advanced towards Selydove, the military report found.
“The town remains contested, with fighting likely continuing to take place within the town centre,” it added, according to European Pravda.
Since the beginning of October, Russia’s advance towards Pokrovsk has slowed significantly, the military added.
Report: Georgia prepares for a divisive election which could determine its future in Europe
When Vahan Agayan goes to the polling station in Georgia’s parliamentary election Saturday, he says he and his wife will vote as directed to by officials of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Agayan has a sheep farm near the border with Armenia and Turkey, 135 kilometers (83 miles) west of — and a world away from — the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. There, tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in a pre-election demonstration in favor of joining the European Union.
But in the mountainous Javakheti region, what Agayan wants most is stability.
Georgia prepares for a divisive election which could determine its future in Europe
The South Caucasus country of Georgia will go to the polls Saturday in a parliamentary election many citizens believe may be the most crucial vote of their lifetimes
Kremlin denies WSJ report of Elon Musk’s contacts with Putin
The Kremlin has denied a Wall Street Journal report about regular contacts between Elon Musk and President Vladimir Putin.
“No, this is not true,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Peskov said that Putin had one contact with Musk - the world’s richest man - and it was before 2022.
The Journal said Musk had been in regular contact with Putin since late 2022. Peskov said the report was absolutely false.
Watch: Vladimir Putin denies having any contact with Donald Trump
Vladimir Putin has denied having any contact with former US president Donald Trump.
Speaking after the BRICS summit in Kazan on Thursday (24 October), the Russian president said: “This is something that has been constantly discussed for more than one year.
“At one time, we were accused of this, and Trump himself of being somehow connected with Russia. Then, as a result of an investigation in the United States itself, everyone came to the conclusion, including in the Congress, as far as I know, that this was complete nonsense, that nothing like this had ever happened.
“It didn’t happen before, and it doesn’t happen now.”
Vladimir Putin denies having any contact with Donald Trump
Vladimir Putin has denied having any contact with former US president Donald Trump. Speaking after the BRICS summit in Kazan on Thursday (24 October), the Russian president said: “This is something that has been constantly discussed for more than one year. “At one time, we were accused of this, and Trump himself of being somehow connected with Russia. Then, as a result of an investigation in the United States itself, everyone came to the conclusion, including in the Congress, as far as I know, that this was complete nonsense, that nothing like this had ever happened. “It didn’t happen before, and it doesn’t happen now.”
Dutch defense minister says intelligence confirms Russia is deploying North Korea troops
Dutch intelligence has confirmed that Russia has deployed at least 1,500 troops from North Korea to fight in the Ukraine war, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said Friday.
Moscow has not denied previous US claims that North Korea had sent troops to Russia, a move that the West is casting as a significant escalation of the war.
“We expect the troops will mainly be deployed in Kursk and consist of mainly special units from the North Korean army,” Brekelmans said, adding that the first deployment was a way for Russia to test the troops and to gauge international reaction.
Kursk is a Russian city near the Ukrainian border where Ukrainian forces staged a major incursion in August.
Ukraine investigating North Korea’s support for Russia as possible crime of aggression
Ukrainian prosecutors on Friday said they had launched an investigation into North Korea’s support for Russia in the war as a possible crime of aggression.
By arming and supplying ground forces engaged in fighting against Ukraine, North Korean officials could face charges, the Prosecutor Generals told Reuters.
“We are documenting and collecting evidence of all possible aspects of such involvement as part of the core proceeding on the crime of aggression,” the office said in a statement.
In pictures: Kyiv under by Russian drone attack
Ukraine destroys 36 Russian drones in overnight attack, air force says
Ukraine destroyed 36 out of 63 drones launched by Russia during an overnight strike, Kyiv’s air force said on Friday.
The drones were downed over various parts of Ukraine while 16 were “locationally lost”, it added.
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