Sat Nov 02 20:51:08 UTC 2024: ## North Korean Troops Ready to Join Russian Offensive, Zelenskyy Calls for Preemptive Strike
**Kyiv, Ukraine -** Tensions escalated in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine as North Korean troops reportedly prepare to join the Russian offensive. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Western allies to take action before the North Korean troops reach the battlefield, even suggesting a preemptive strike on training camps located inside Russia.
“America is watching, Britain is watching, Germany is watching,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. “Everyone is just waiting for the North Korean military to start attacking Ukrainians as well.” He emphasized that Ukraine cannot strike these camps without permission to use Western-made long-range weapons.
The Biden administration confirmed that approximately 8,000 North Korean soldiers are currently positioned in Russia’s Kursk region, near the Ukrainian border, and are preparing to join the fighting in the coming days. Ukrainian intelligence reported that over 7,000 North Korean troops equipped with Russian gear and weapons have been transported to the region.
Western leaders have characterized this deployment as a significant escalation, potentially disrupting the Asia Pacific region and facilitating technology transfers between Moscow and Pyongyang. These transfers could enhance North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile program.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are facing a “powerful offensive” by Russia, according to General Oleksandr Syrskii, Ukraine’s top commander. He indicated that Ukrainian units are sustaining heavy casualties.
Overnight, Russian missiles struck Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, killing a policeman and injuring dozens. Shelling in Kherson province also resulted in casualties, including a 40-year-old woman and two children. Air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv for over five hours as Russian drones targeted the capital, sparking a fire and injuring two people.
The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia launched over 70 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight, most of which were shot down or diverted using GPS jamming. The drone campaign, while still active, has reportedly slowed down compared to previous months.
Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have shot down 24 Ukrainian drones over four Russian regions and occupied Crimea.
While Zelenskyy has pleaded for permission to strike Russian military targets deep inside the country, US officials have argued that Ukraine already utilizes its own long-range drones for such attacks. Moscow has consistently warned that any such strikes would be viewed as a major escalation, potentially escalating the conflict into a direct war with NATO.
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