Conflict Events Archive
229,526 documented events · latest Aug 29, 2026 — chronological archive with full summaries and multi-source verification.
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 28, 2026
Key Takeaways from the ISW: - Ukrainian forces struck a Russian strategic bomber at the Engels-2 Airbase in Saratov Oblast, demonstrating Ukraine’s ability to strike heavily defended targets in Russia’s rear. - Russian budgetary challenges resulting from its costly war effort, Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign, international sanctions, and economic mismanagement are manifesting in concrete operational problems. - The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) will likely expand its access to Russians’ personal and medical information ahead of rumored involuntary reserve call-ups after the September 20 State Duma elections. - Russian forces conducted an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launch as part of the Kremlin’s nuclear saber-rattling to project military strength. - Russia is portraying its Starlink-jamming electronic warfare (EW) system as a breakthrough capability as part of its cognitive warfare effort to dissuade the United States from granting Ukraine access to Starlink over Russian territory. - Ukrainian forces made limited tactical advances in the Kostyantynivka direction. - Ukrainian forces are conducting repeat strikes against Russian oil refineries to keep them offline. Russia launched 164 drones against Ukraine overnight. JOIN US ON TELEGRAM Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. See the original here. To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter Russia’s Military Missed 15 of Putin’s Deadlines to Seize Donbas, ISW Says Updated: Aug. 25, 2026
Iranian external operations - Wikipedia
Iranian external operations Iranian external operations refer to the activities conducted by the Islamic Republic of Iran in foreign countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. These are primarily carried out by Unit 840 of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF), supported by the Ministry of Intelligence and other actors.
Iran -- Will the Artesh Revolt? Regular Army vs. IRGC in the 2026 War
Analysis of structural tension between Iran's regular armed forces (Artesh) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) during Operation Epic Fury 2026.
The US and Israel tried to topple Iran’s government. Six months on, new leaders are defying them
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — After six months of war, Iran’s leadership has coalesced around a hard core of military generals and clerics long entrenched in the ruling theocracy. They are ready for a potentially long confrontation with the U.S. and determined to prevent any unrest at home. It’s a far cry from U.S. President Donald Trump’s initial hopes of toppling the Islamic Republic and his subsequent claims that “regime change” had brought more compromising officials to the fore. Iran’s new leaders evince little faith in any agreement with Trump — after coming under attack twice while holding talks — and they may be bracing for another assault once the U.S. replenishes its supplies of interceptors. They have also threatened to escalate the war as a continuing American blockade and Trump’s plans for new sanctions threaten to suffocate Iran's already worsening economy. “If (Trump) wants to do something, we will retaliate in a seismic manner,” the new secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, said last weekend. In a post on X, he said that “if the economic war continues, not a single drop of oil will be exported” from the Persian Gulf. Iran is determined to smother any internal unrest Rezaei’s appointment came in a recent set of decrees by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, that formally set Iran’s new senior leadership, including top military posts. Khamenei's father and much of the highest echelons were killed in the bombing campaign launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28. Perhaps most telling was the newly named head of the Basij, the Revolutionary Guard’s volunteer street force, which played a major role in crushing January’s nationwide protests, when thousands were killed. That post went to Hossein Taeb, a hard-line cleric and longtime intelligence chief who led one of the first major crackdowns on protests, in 2009. His appointment is seen as a sign that the leadership is intent on preventing any new unrest as discontent over the economy spreads. The 56-year-old Khamenei has not been seen in public, or even appeared in video or audio, since Israeli strikes killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had been Iran’s supreme leader for some 37 years. The younger Khamenei is believed to have been wounded in the strikes. His public absence could reflect the depth of security surrounding him, since he is likely in Israel’s sights, or the extent of his wounds. The supreme leader surrounds himself with hard-line allies With the appointments announced Aug. 11 and 12, he has surrounded himself with longtime personal allies, like Rezaei and Taeb. They are “a clique of older senior officers who’ve served together over the last decades,” said Sascha Bruchmann, an analyst with the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Middle East office in Bahrain. Rezaei, 71, led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard during its formative years, through the entire 1980-1988 war with Iraq and until 1997. He has run for president as a hard-line candidate multiple times since 2009. Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, 68, was confirmed as head of the Guard, where he has been acting commander since his predecessor was killed along with the elder Khamenei. Also confirmed in their posts were the acting commander of the Guard’s naval forces, Gen. Ali Ozmaei, and the military chief of staff, Gen. Ali Abdollahi. Bruchmann, who pointed out that Rezaei was Vahidi’s commander for many years, said the emphasis appears to be on ensuring unity. “It looks like internal cohesion, as in hard core people are being pulled into the inner circle,” he said. Moderates urge restraint over economic concerns Homayoun Falakshahi, the top oil analyst for the global commerce information firm Kpler, wrote that the appointments of Rezaei and Vahidi show “greater influence for officials associated with a tougher stance.” Still, escalation is not inevitable, and Iran could find it difficult to “escalate enough to restore deterrence without triggering retaliation that leaves it worse off,” he said. A ceasefire deal reached in June quickly fell apart amid exchanges of strikes. Iran has demanded the release of billions in frozen assets as called for under the deal — as well as formal authority over the Strait of Hormuz. President Masoud Pezeshkian is one of the most prominent voices still calling for a negotiated solution. His allies argue Iran risks overplaying its hand by continuing the war as its economy suffers. “It would be better to bring the war to an end, since today we enjoy power and dignity and the entire world approved our victory, and the U.S. is hated,” Pezeshkian said last week. He has also defended the June ceasefire deal against hard-liners’ accusations that it conceded too much. In contrast to ultra-hard-liners who reject any talks, Rezaei has held out the possibility of a deal — if the U.S. backs down. On Monday, he told Pakistani mediator Gen. Asim Munir that the U.S. should “change its attitude and take practical action about implementing the conditions” of the ceasefire deal. Tehran-based political analyst Ahmad Zeidabadi said there are “serious differences over the future path of the country.” Hard-liners oppose normalization with the U.S. because “their survival depends on the existence of conflict and hostility,” he wrote in the newspaper Hammihan, which backs Pezeshkian. Amid worries over unrest, a strong figure leads the Basij So far there has been no sign of new protests even as Iranians find it harder to afford basic staples. Taeb’s appointment as head of the Basij is a sign the leadership wants to preempt any potential unrest “before it even manifests,” Bruchmann said. “Putting someone from an intelligence background in charge of the people that would do the crackdown makes sense,” he said. Taeb, a 63-year-old cleric, led the Basij when it played a key role in crushing mass protests that erupted against the 2009 reelection of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Dozens were killed. Soon after, Taeb was named chief of the Guard’s intelligence apparatus. He led the agency for nearly 13 years until he was removed in 2022, reportedly in a shake-up after Israeli espionage successes. The Basij run a nationwide network of volunteers who maintain a presence in the streets, government offices and cultural centers, seeking to ensure loyalty and ideological purity for Iran’s theocracy. In the decree appointing Taeb, Khamenei ordered him to deepen the Basij presence in Iranian social life, use new technologies and “promote the Basij across the world against Zionist-American arrogance” — suggesting the group may begin to form links with Iran’s proxies abroad. The Basij boosted its presence during the war, and hard-liners have held nightly rallies in Tehran and other cities, drumming up support and intimidating any possible dissenters. It's unclear specifically how Taeb will step up the force's role, but in a recent speech he seemed to point to increasing control over society. He warned that U.S. pressure on the economy aimed to create divisions within Iran. “If the mosque becomes the center of the neighborhood, the nation will protect its unity, which will be a greater deterrent than any missile.” ___ Keath reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed.
Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon injures one person, state media says
This is an entry from: Live: US issues fresh Iran-related sanctions as war marks six months Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon injures one person, state media says 29 August 2026 02:19 BST Israeli drone strike injured one person in the Doha area of Kfar Remman, in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. Israeli military operations across Lebanon since 2 March have killed 4,352 people and injured 12,318, the Emergency Operations Center of the Ministry of Public Health said in a statement earlier.
US, Iran make 'encouraging progress' in high-stakes peace talks despite ...
US and Iranian negotiators made what mediators described as "encouraging progress" in high-level talks aimed at turning a fragile ceasefire into a broader peace agreement, despite a rocky start ...
Data: Tracking Iran's missile and drone attacks on Gulf states
After nearly four weeks of heavy bombardment by U.S. and Israeli forces, Iran is still able to assail its Persian Gulf neighbors and Israel with daily missile and drone attacks.
US, Israel bomb Iran: A timeline of talks and threats leading up to ...
Here is a timeline of the events, including attacks and diplomatic overtures leading up to Saturday's strikes by the US and Israel, and Iran's fierce response.
Latest Analysis: War with Iran | CSIS
Latest Analysis: War with Iran Amid the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran, CSIS experts examine the military, diplomatic, and geopolitical implications of a conflict that continues to reshape the Middle East and beyond.
The invisible war of besieged minds: Perception distortion
The invisible war of besieged minds: Perception distortion (machine-translated headline from a Turkish-language source)
US anti-Iranian sanctions to tell negatively on region — top Iraqi, Omani diplomats
RABAT, August 28. /TASS/. Foreign Ministers Fuad Hussein of Iraq and Badr al-Busaidi of Oman agreed that the United States’ toughened anti-Iranian sanctions will impair trade, economic, and financial cooperation with Iran and will have a negative impact on the situation in the region, the Iraqi foreign ministry said after their phone call. "The two sides also discussed the outstanding issues between the United States and Iran and addressed the proposed US sanctions that would restrict economic and financial dealings with Iran, as well as their potential repercussions for the regional situation," it said. The two top diplomats "emphasized the importance of holding emergency meetings of the countries concerned to discuss ways to address the dangerous developments and limit their repercussions." The ministers "also stressed the need to continue cooperation and coordination between Baghdad and Muscat, work on proposing joint initiatives in this regard, and invite other countries to participate in them." Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced the launch of "economic warfare and isolation on an unprecedented scale" against Iran. The US leader also warned that countries whose financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government agencies support Tehran will face serious economic consequences from Washington.
Nebraska Democrat looks to oust GOP congressman as Iran war crosses 6 months
ICE plans to buy robot ‘dogs’ for some immigration enforcement operations03:32 - Now Playing Nebraska Democrat looks to oust GOP congressman as Iran war crosses 6 months24:00 - UP NEXT CIA chief asked Russia not to share intel with Iran during visit to Moscow05:50 Canada’s Carney responds to Trump’s executive order renaming Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’14:23 Darline Graham's Democratic opponent says Senate is ‘not a place for on-the-job learning'09:12 Meta social media settlement marks ‘era of holding big tech accountable’: NJ Attorney General09:23 Kornacki: Trump was ‘decisive’ for Darline Graham’s victory in South Carolina10:53 Kornacki previews key counties in the South Carolina runoff between Darline Graham & Ralph Norman07:07 Canada’s trade minister: ‘We’re not waiting by the phone’ as tariff war escalates12:25 Voter concerns about data centers cut 'across party lines’ ahead of midterms10:02 U.S. must be ‘very, very careful’ about Iran sanctions that target Beijing: Former Amb. to China22:59 Byron Donalds says Trump ‘did not break that promise’ to keep prices down amid Iran war08:15 Start your engines: NBC News takes you inside IndyCar’s D.C. Grand Prix04:26 'Dear Donald': Battleground district voters share their message to Trump06:04 Angie Nixon says 'I'm not a socialist' despite joining DSA08:36 Angie Nixon says Florida 'is not red, it just hasn't been invested in by Democrats': Full interview12:07 'I am not running for president,' Attorney General Todd Blanche says at Iowa State Fair05:24 'Nothing has gotten better': Focus group shares affordability concerns as US debt tops $40 trillion20:52 How Sen. Darline Graham’s debate blunder could give undecided voters ‘some pause’06:21 ‘Fed up with a war they didn't want’: Midwestern voters air frustrations impacting the midterms05:33 Meet the Press ICE plans to buy robot ‘dogs’ for some immigration enforcement operations03:32 - Now Playing Nebraska Democrat looks to oust GOP congressman as Iran war crosses 6 months24:00 - UP NEXT CIA chief asked Russia not to share intel with Iran during visit to Moscow05:50 Canada’s Carney responds to Trump’s executive order renaming Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’14:23 Darline Graham's Democratic opponent says Senate is ‘not a place for on-the-job learning'09:12 Meta social media settlement marks ‘era of holding big tech accountable’: NJ Attorney General09:23 Play All
Hope for Refugees in Iran - The Borgen Project
Jun 18, 2026 ... The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continues to support one of the largest refugee populations in the world. As of 2026, ...
Islamabad Talks - Wikipedia
Aimed at stabilizing the 2026 Iran war ceasefire and negotiating a potential resolution to the war, the talks were moderated by Pakistan, which played a central ...
Ships shun Strait of Hormuz as renewed fighting strains key oil corridor
5 hours ago ... Kpler data similarly show activity deteriorating almost immediately after the blockade began. Daily crossings, which had averaged more than 20 ...
US consumer sentiment drops in August on inflation worries
Washington: US consumer sentiment fell in August, survey data from the University of Michigan confirmed Friday, reflecting worries over persistent inflation as war in the Middle East weighs on the world's biggest economy. "Consumer sentiment confirmed its early month reading, falling about six percent from last month," said Joanne Hsu, director of the survey. This is 11 percent down from a year ago, with the gloominess fueled by "continued worries that inflation will remain elevated for the foreseeable future," she added. The university's consumer sentiment index came in at 51.7 this month, a slight revision from the preliminary reading of 51.0 points. This was a retreat from July's reading of 55.2 points. Global energy prices soared after the United States and Israel launched the war on Iran in late February, plunging the Middle East into conflict. Tehran had retaliated by attacking Washington's Gulf allies and snarling a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies. "Sentiment declines in August were seen for all political groups and were particularly acute among Republicans," the University of Michigan survey found. This comes just months ahead of key US midterm elections in November. Survey data added that older consumers, alongside those from lower- and middle-income groups, showed a sharper drop in sentiment. War in the Middle East has already sent US inflation higher, with prices at the gasoline pump climbing and piling pressure on households. "With ongoing policy uncertainty including the Iran conflict, consumers anticipate further increases in gasoline prices both in the short and long run," Hsu said. While year-ahead inflation expectations crept down to 4.0 percent, from 4.2 percent in July, current readings still exceed levels seen before the war began. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) "Consumer sentiment confirmed its early month reading, falling about six percent from last month," said Joanne Hsu, director of the survey. This is 11 percent down from a year ago, with the gloominess fueled by "continued worries that inflation will remain elevated for the foreseeable future," she added. The university's consumer sentiment index came in at 51.7 this month, a slight revision from the preliminary reading of 51.0 points. This was a retreat from July's reading of 55.2 points. Global energy prices soared after the United States and Israel launched the war on Iran in late February, plunging the Middle East into conflict. Tehran had retaliated by attacking Washington's Gulf allies and snarling a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies. "Sentiment declines in August were seen for all political groups and were particularly acute among Republicans," the University of Michigan survey found. This comes just months ahead of key US midterm elections in November. Survey data added that older consumers, alongside those from lower- and middle-income groups, showed a sharper drop in sentiment. War in the Middle East has already sent US inflation higher, with prices at the gasoline pump climbing and piling pressure on households. "With ongoing policy uncertainty including the Iran conflict, consumers anticipate further increases in gasoline prices both in the short and long run," Hsu said. While year-ahead inflation expectations crept down to 4.0 percent, from 4.2 percent in July, current readings still exceed levels seen before the war began. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) Explore More Stories
Occupying Israel now considering removing UK from Gaza Centre
Occupying Israel now considering removing UK from Gaza Centre (machine-translated headline from a Turkish-language source)
Trump Stuns By Outright Dismissing Notion Putin Preparing To Attack A NATO State
Trump Stuns By Outright Dismissing Notion Putin Preparing To Attack A NATO State President Trump has added fuel to the fire of controversy and speculation over the question of why CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a surprise and highly rare trip to Moscow on Tuesday. Media accounts which seek to explain the nature of his meeting with top Kremlin intelligence officials, while apparently being snubbed by Putin in terms of a direct interaction, have shifted in days since the visit. The early 'consensus' was that he delivered a stern warning for Russia not to attack any NATO state. But President Trump has poured cold water on this explanation, appearing to dismiss it outright in his latest comments. "I've had good talks with him. He's not going to be attacking a NATO territory," Trump said of Putin on Thursday while talking to reporters in the Oval Office. Trump didn't answer specifically when pressed on if the president directed Ratcliffe to deliver a warning to Putin to not attack NATO. "I don't want to comment on that but they're not going to attack," Trump said. While many times over the course of the Ukraine war, European heads of state have claimed that Russia is expansionist and seeks to attack countries in Europe beyond Ukraine, this has not ever been a public allegation of Trump, who has tended to downplay it as a possibility. Trump did deny the reports centered on Ratcliffe in an interview with Axios Thursday, saying "Ratcliffe sees his Russian counterpart once every six months or once every year. They have a very good relationship. There was no message and there was nothing unusual." And when asked over whether he's concerned that Putin might attack NATO or deeper inside Europe, Trump replied, "I am not concerned … at all. There is no problem." According to more: The president called Ratcliffe's trip "standard business" and expressed puzzlement over the media accounts of it. But the reality is that no CIA director has made such a trip in well over four years. The prior time was November 2021, when then-CIA Director William Burns traveled to Moscow to meet with senior Russian officials and issued a stark warning against invading Ukraine. It was also highly unexpected in terms of timing, given the stalemated nature of the Ukraine conflict, and the fact that zero peace negotiations are happening. There has not even so much as been any efforts at achieving a short-term ceasefire, akin to last year's Christmas truce. Trump in the Oval on Thursday declaring confidently that no, the Russians are not going to attack NATO: REPORTER: Did Ratcliffe delivered a warning to Russia not to attack NATO territory during his trip? US PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, I don't wanna comment on that, but they're not going to attack NATO. pic.twitter.com/TbAvq8NUJR — Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) August 27, 2026 One theory on the motive for Ratcliffe's trip, which has gained traction among independent analysts, is that it was focused on the Iran war amid allegations from US officials that Russia has assisted Tehran with targeting information on US troop and base whereabouts in the Mideast region. At times throughout Operation Epic Fury, Tehran appears to have even targeted CIA stations. The bulk of American military assets and bases in the Gulf countries have suffered severe damage earlier in the conflict, resulting in a Pentagon troop drawback to safer areas. This is indeed a big deal if it is the case that Russia or China (or both) have handed the Iranians intel to help push back American bases and forces. Tyler Durden Fri, 08/28/2026 - 12:10
A bridge, missiles, and billions in revenue: North Korea's role in Russia's war deepens again
A bridge, missiles, and billions in revenue: North Korea's role in Russia's war deepens again North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shake hands after a welcoming ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024. (Gavriil Grigorov / POOL / AFP via Getty Images) 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, and missiles that Moscow had already received, helping it accelerate its offensives against Ukrainian forces and ramp up strikes against Ukraine's cities. While this mass deployment is unlikely to happen immediately, experts who spoke to the Kyiv Independent agreed that a 50,000-strong reinforcement force would be a significant boost for Russian forces in any case — and that Pyongyang will increasingly be helping Russia's army in the future. read also Important support — and a cash bonanza for Pyongyang In almost any comparison, Russia and North Korea are hardly equals. The former has eight times the population of the latter, and the Russian economy is almost 100 times larger than North Korea's. But when it comes to military production, the two countries are surprisingly complementary, with North Korea helping Russia's war on Ukraine in many areas. “I wouldn't even say that North Korea is the minor partner in this relationship anymore," said Leonid Petrov, a researcher specializing in Pyongyang's international relations at the Australian National University. Assistance is not limited to boots on the ground. Since 2024, Russia has, for instance, launched at least several dozen North Korean ballistic missiles on Ukrainian territory. While these missiles vary in type, they are generally considered more powerful – but less accurate – than their Russian equivalents. Russia's dependency on North Korea does not stop there. "This (dependency) was especially visible during the phase of the so-called 'artillery hunger' in Russian forces (in late 2022 and early 2023), when North Korea actively supplied Russia with ammunition," said Oleksandr Kovalenko, a military and political expert at the Ukrainian Center for Security Studies. "Aside from that, (North Korea) produces high quantities of artillery powder, which Russian manufacturers cannot produce enough of," the researcher said. Specialized personnel is also important, with Ukrainian intelligence estimating that North Korea had recently sent 400 drone operators to Russia. Another case in point was Russia's efforts to push Ukrainian forces out of Kursk Oblast, a western Russian border region partially occupied by Ukraine between August 2024 and the spring of 2025. Moscow's campaign there would have been "much slower" without support from North Korean soldiers, Kovalenko said, adding that Russian advances in other sections of the front line would have also been more difficult without North Korean military deliveries. South Korea's Defense Ministry confirmed that Pyongyang is preparing for additional troop deployments in Ukraine. This assistance is set to increase further, with Russia investing considerable funds to improve delivery logistics. Currently, Russia's only land connection to North Korea is a rail bridge built in 1959, but differences in rail gauges between the two countries make it difficult to use. This should change by the end of 2026, when Russia and North Korea plan to open their first car border crossing across the Tumen River, which separates the two countries. Both sides claim that the bridge is intended to boost tourism and civilian economic exchanges and is not intended for military purposes. "This is almost certainly not true," said Nazar Myhun from the Ukrainian NGO Truth Hounds, which investigated the bridge project. "Russian-North Korean (non-military) trade is valued at barely $20 million to $30 million per year. Tourism is almost non-existent, and the small number of tourists mostly fly directly through Pyongyang, in any case." The bridge project is exclusively financed by Russia, whose military needs have funded a cash bonanza for the regime of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in recent years. According to estimates, North Korea raked in around $22 billion in foreign revenue between 2022 and 2025, almost four times as much as in the previous four-year period. "$22 billion is both a large sum and not really a big one at the same time," Petrov commented. "On the one hand, North Korea's annual GDP sits just above that figure, so this is a lot of money for the regime. At the same time, this is not a huge amount on its own, and international sanctions mean it's difficult for the regime to use these funds." A firm alliance — but with limits Soon after Russia and North Korea signed their strategic partnership agreement in 2024, North Korean soldiers were deployed to Russia's Kursk Oblast against Ukrainian forces fighting there. However, this precedent does not mean that Russia can simply demand a large number of troops from Kim and immediately receive them, Kovalenko said. "Things like this do not happen overnight in North Korea," Petrov noted, citing the 2024 treaty, which came much later than Russia's first requests for North Korean military assistance in 2023. "Normally, Kim Jong Un first contemplates the pros and cons, possibly consults advisors, calculates risks, then soldiers need to be trained and indoctrinated — all of this takes time," the researcher said. South Korea's Defense Ministry confirmed that Pyongyang is preparing for additional troop deployments in Ukraine, but said it sees no signs that this should happen immediately. North Korea has also set firm limits on troop deployments, refusing to send them directly into Ukrainian territory, Kovalenko said in turn. "So, if thousands of new North Korean troops are sent to Russia, they will most likely be dispatched to Russian border regions, such as (the) Kursk or Voronezh (oblasts)," the expert predicted. In theory, these forces could allow Moscow to free up soldiers stationed on Russian soil for new offensives on Ukrainian territory, especially after speculations that Russia could carry out a new wave of mobilization following parliamentary elections in September. "In this scenario, North Korean soldiers are unlikely to be used as combat forces — but they could be used as an occupation force, if something changes and Kim Jong Un agrees to send troops directly to Ukraine," Petrov said. Another scenario could involve Pyongyang focusing on deploying additional missile launch units — and other specialized forces — but refraining from sending soldiers to territories internationally recognized as sovereign Ukrainian territory, Kovalenko explained in turn. "In any case, all of these scenarios are hypothetical, and it's unlikely that anything will change from one day to another, with tens of thousands of North Korean soldiers suddenly flowing into Russia," Petrov concluded.
Ansari Demands Answers from Trump Admin for Civilian Harm in ...
Apr 20, 2026 ... On February 28, 2026, the opening day of hostilities, U.S. strikes hit both a girls' school in Minab, Iran, killing a reported 168 children and ...