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.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that Russian president Vladimir Putin could order an attack on a Nato member within weeks to test the alliance’s resolve.
A new intelligence report from the US concluded that Moscow could launch a small land incursion or cyber attacks across eastern Europe from this autumn to 2029.
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.
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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.
Russia wants 30,000 more North Korean soldiers to fight Ukraine. Is the West at risk?
It marks Pyongyang's most significant involvement in a war since the 1950sJames Reynolds8 August 2026 21:35
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.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain8 August 2026 21:00
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.
James Reynolds8 August 2026 20:35
North Korea to send up to 50,000 troops to Russia, says Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelensky says that North Korea is preparing to send 30-50,000 troops to be deployed in allied Russian territory.
Speaking to Ukraine’s United News, he says Pyongyang is “studying” the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and hoping to “gain experience in modern warfare under Russia”.
He said: “We have already found North Korean missiles on the territory of Ukraine. Today, this is already an established fact.”
James Reynolds8 August 2026 20:23
Trump brushes off Russia’s attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine: ‘We’re separated by an ocean’
Trump brushes off Russia’s attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine
Maryam Zakir-Hussain8 August 2026 20:00
The real worry for Ukraine’s allies as beach strike on Russian civilians marks a shift in the war
Kyiv has not yet acknowledged killing Russian civilians on a Black Sea beach, but as it strikes deeper at Moscow, these tragedies will multiply – and that’s not the only worry, explains world affairs editor Sam Kiley:
The gentle splash of breaking waves on a resort beach and the laughter of children having innocent fun gives way to the screech and crack of an explosion. Seven people dead – three of them are children.
This was the scene on Monday in the Russian Black Sea town of Gelendzhik where, even if every adult killed and all 40 of those injured were wide-eyed fans of Vladimir Putin and part of his war machine, the children were innocent.
It was the sort of attack that, if carried out by Russia against Ukraine, would have sparked international outrage and allegations of war crimes by targeting civilian areas.
Read more here:
The real worry for Ukraine’s allies as beach strike on civilians marks shift in war
Kyiv has not yet acknowledged killing Russian civilians on a Black Sea beach, but as it strikes deeper at Moscow, these tragedies will multiply – and that’s not the only worry, explains world affairs editor Sam KileyMaryam Zakir-Hussain8 August 2026 19:30
Russia says it struck vessels and military facilities supporting Ukraine in Odesa, Mykolaiv
Russia continued strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure and vessels supporting the Ukrainian military, Russia's Defence Ministry said on Saturday.
The ministry said Russian forces used precision air-launched weapons and attack drones to hit military warehouses containing communications and electronic warfare equipment in the Black Sea port of Odesa.
In the port of Mykolaiv, Russian forces struck a cargo vessel carrying military equipment and a warehouse storing weapons and military supplies, the ministry said. It added that another dry cargo vessel transporting military supplies for Ukraine's armed forces was hit in the Black Sea.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain8 August 2026 19:00
Ukraine strikes Russian oil refinery over 1,300km behind frontline, says Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Thursday that Kyiv had struck further oil facilities deep inside Russia during nighttime attacks, intensifying its strategy to cripple Moscow's wartime economy and embarrass the Kremlin.
These persistent strikes have caused fuel shortages and rattled Russians, while heartening Ukrainians who face regular Russian barrages that Kyiv's weakened air defences struggle to counter.
Zelenskyy, speaking on social media, specified two targets: a refinery in Bashkortostan, over 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) behind the eastern front line, and another in the Yaroslavl region, nearly 700 kilometres (400 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Ukraine strikes Russian oil refinery over 1,300km behind frontline, says Zelensky
Ukrainian President says Ukraine has hit two more oil facilities deep inside RussiaMaryam Zakir-Hussain8 August 2026 18:30
Paperwork holds up missile production licenses, Zelensky says
Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic, who has maintained close ties with Moscow and refused to sanction Russia over the invasion reiterated that Serbia respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity and said that position would not change.
“The situation in Ukraine is difficult,” Volodymyr Zelensky said at the press conference.
“There was another missile strike last night — ballistic missiles targeting our infrastructure. There were also attack drones.”
Zelensky said that deliveries of Patriot air defense interceptors — the sole air defense weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal able to shoot down ballistic missiles — have slowed compared with a year ago.
“There are fewer of these missiles in 2026. In 2025 there were more, I’ll tell you honestly, in terms of monthly supplies,” he said.
Zelensky said Washington has agreed to let Ukraine manufacture its own Patriot air defense interceptors, but that they are “stuck dealing with paperwork.”
“The process for some of these licenses is also taking a long time,” he said.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain8 August 2026 18:00
Ukraine are hitting deep inside Russia – but don’t expect Putin to capitulate yet
The reluctance of allies to provide the weapons needed to take the fight to Moscow has seen the Ukrainians carry out their own campaign against their enemies’ infrastructure – but, Keir Giles writes, we know by now that Russia’s leader is happy to let his country burn:
Russia’s war on Ukraine has entered its latest phase, with each side making use of increasing numbers of long-range munitions to strike deep into the other’s territory.
In the early summer of this year, there was a surge of optimism across the media when it became clear that Ukraine was stepping up its strikes at enormous ranges into Russia, and there was little that Moscow could do about it.
But that optimism needs to be balanced against the new reality that with anti-missile interceptor systems exhausted, there is not much Ukraine itself can do to blunt Russian missile attacks.
Read more here:
Ukraine are hitting deep inside Russia – but don’t expect Putin to capitulate
The reluctance of allies to provide the weapons needed to take the fight to Moscow has seen the Ukrainians carry out their own campaign against their enemies’ infrastructure – but, Keir Giles writes, we know by now that Russia’s leader is happy to let his country burnMaryam Zakir-Hussain8 August 2026 17:30NewerOlder