North Korean chief Kim Jong-un has hailed the troops from his nation who fought alongside Russia in Kursk a 12 months in the past, state media KCNA stated on Monday. Kim made his remarks after a Russian delegation arrived in Pyongyang to attend the opening ceremony of a memorial complicated honouring these killed serving to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. In 2024 Ukraine launched a shock incursion into the Kursk area, capturing greater than 1,000 sq km (386 sq miles) of Russian land, however have been finally pushed again.
Throughout discussions in Pyongyang, Russia and North Korea agreed to “long-term” army cooperation. Moscow’s defence minister Andrey Belousov stated: “We agreed with the DPRK defence ministry to position our army cooperation on a secure, long-term footing.” The settlement will cowl 2027-2031, he stated. North Korea has despatched 1000’s of troops – in addition to missiles and munitions – to assist Russia’s conflict in Ukraine. In return, analysts say North Korea is receiving monetary support, army expertise, meals and vitality from Russia.
Kim stated his authorities “would proceed to completely assist Russia’s insurance policies of defending its sovereignty, territorial integrity and safety pursuits”, KCNA reported. Kim has steadily moved to raise the North Korean troops who fought for Russia within the Kursk area into symbols of sacrifice and loyalty, utilizing state ceremonies and memorial tasks to publicly honour their function. “The souls of the fallen will dwell without end with the nice honour they defended,” Kim stated in a handwritten message on the memorial on Sunday, based on state media.
In the meantime, strikes throughout Ukraine, Russian-occupied territory and Russia over the previous day killed at the least 16 folks, authorities stated. Russian drone and missile strikes on town of Dnipro killed at the least 9, regional head Oleksandr Hanzha stated. One man was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the port metropolis of Sevastopol, in Russian-occupied Crimea, Moscow-installed authorities stated.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of “nuclear terrorism” as he marked the fortieth anniversary of the Chornobyl reactor catastrophe on Sunday. Zelenskyy stated Russia was “once more bringing the world to the brink of a man-made catastrophe”. He stated Russian drones recurrently move over Chornobyl and one had hit its protecting shell final 12 months.
Rafael Grossi, director common of the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company (IAEA), echoed Zelenskyy’s considerations over Chornobyl throughout a go to to Kyiv, saying repairs to the plant’s broken outer protecting shell should start instantly. IAEA assessments present the injury sustained after a strike final 12 months has already compromised a key security operate of the construction, he stated. He warned years of inaction may heighten hazard to the unique sarcophagus beneath it. The European Financial institution for Reconstruction and Growth stated repairs would require at the least 500 million euros ($586m).
Ukrainian forces struck an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, deep inside Russian territory, Ukraine’s Common Employees stated on Sunday. The strikes sparked fires on the facility, which processes 15m tons of oil a 12 months and produces gasoline, diesel and jet gas for the Russian army. Russia didn’t instantly remark. Ukraine has developed its personal long-range drones, which might attain targets 1,500km (900 miles) inside Russia.
A Ukrainian drone assault additionally hit a fertiliser plant in Russia’s Vologda area, native governor Georgy Filimonov stated on Sunday. Filimonov stated a high-pressure sulphuric acid pipeline was broken at a posh operated by Apatit, a subsidiary of PhosAgro, one of many world’s largest producers of phosphate-based fertilisers. The leak has been contained and there have been no releases of hazardous chemical substances, he stated, including that 5 folks have been injured.
Donald Trump stated on Sunday he has had “good conversations” with Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy as he goals to settle the Ukraine conflict. “We’re engaged on the Russia state of affairs, Russia and Ukraine, and hopefully we’re going to get it,” Trump stated in an interview on Fox Information. Ukrainian peace talks have stalled because the US and Israel launched assaults on Iran on 28 February.
