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A bridge, missiles, and billions in revenue: North Korea's role in Russia's war deepens again
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A bridge, missiles, and billions in revenue: North Korea's role in Russia's war deepens again

by Karol Luczka

No longer a minor player, Pyongyang has become an essential cog in Russia's war machine. Now, Kyiv warns that its role may grow further still — but not overnight. Ukrainian intelligence in August issued alarming warnings hinting that Russia could soon ask North Korea to contribute up to 50,000 more of its troops for its war against Ukraine, with missiles, drone operators, and technical brigades to follow. This influx of additional troops and materiel would come on top of the soldiers, shells,

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Ukraine's army chief Drapatyi on his vision for Ukraine's military

The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces — the President of Ukraine — and the Minister of Defense have entrusted me with command of Ukraine's military, the Armed Forces. I assume this duty with the understanding that the next stage of this war requires more from us: to command the Armed Forces in the war today while ensuring that they emerge from it stronger. We must both fight and become better every day, adapt, and thereby ensure our advantage. Every decision taken jointly with the

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The Kyiv Independent’s coverage of news on Russia. Spanning eleven time zones across Eastern Europe and Asia, Russia has an estimated population of 146 million people. Russia’s capital city is Moscow, which is home to almost one in 10 Russians. Russia’s official currency is the Russian Ruble.

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Ukraine's plan to close Russia's airspace — what we know

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026.

Ukraine wants to close Russia's skies and has a plan to do it. In an announcement on Sept. 1, President Volodymyr Zelensky gave few details about what it would entail, other than making clear it would involve lots of drones. "There will simply be drones in Russia's skies on a scale that has to be taken into account," he said, as he warned "every airline that uses Russian airspace" against flying over the country. "The Russian sky will be de facto closed," he added. The following day, the pre

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