Summary of the Day:
Ukraine launched a significant combined strike against Russian military targets using UK-provided Storm Shadow missiles and drones. Key strikes targeted the Baryatinsky Estate near Marino in Kursk Oblast and military installations across Novgorod, Voronezh, and Belgorod oblasts. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims it intercepted 44 Ukrainian drones during the operation.
Both armies continue adapting their battlefield tactics amid resource constraints. Russian forces, facing ammunition shortages, have shifted to using Soviet-era howitzers and small-team assault tactics. Ukrainian forces are relying heavily on drone operations, which now account for about 80% of Russian casualties along the front line.
The US announced a $275 million military aid package including HIMARS ammunition and controlled-detonation antipersonnel landmines, while Germany delivered substantial equipment including armored vehicles and artillery systems. Meanwhile, Ukrainian investigators are examining Russian forces’ execution of two POWs near Novodmytrivka, Donetsk Oblast, as Ukraine reports tens of thousands of its military and civilian personnel remain in Russian captivity.
Russian forces have advanced near Kupyansk, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, Kurakhove, and Vuhledar, though their military command’s poor treatment of soldiers has reportedly led to widespread desertion.
Picture of the Day:
Ukrainian servicemembers stand during the ‘Light the Fire’ event in Kyiv. Ukrainians lit 1000 candles to observe the 1000th day of Russia’s full-scale war. (Olha Kharchenko/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Beyond Ukraine – The March Towards World War
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned of Moscow’s response to U.S. authorization of Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, referencing Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine approved by President Putin on November 19 that allows nuclear retaliation against non-nuclear states supported by nuclear powers and large-scale non-nuclear attacks, following Ukraine’s alleged use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike Russia’s Bryansk Oblast; while Russian officials, including Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, escalated nuclear threats, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh called this rhetoric “irresponsible” and consistent with past behavior, reporting no signs of Russia preparing to use nuclear weapons, and noted that Russia’s use of North Korean troops represents an escalation prompting U.S. support for Ukraine’s response.
President-elect Trump has named Matthew Whitaker, former acting attorney general with no foreign policy experience, as the next U.S. ambassador to NATO. This appointment raises concerns about U.S. commitment to NATO as Trump’s team reportedly considers a Russia-Ukraine peace deal that would delay Ukraine’s NATO membership for 20 years in exchange for continued arms supplies. This proposed strategy could significantly impact Ukraine’s security and NATO’s influence in maintaining regional stability.
Swedish authorities are investigating potential sabotage of two Baltic Sea communication cables after they were damaged when the Chinese cargo ship Yi Peng 3 passed nearby on November 17-18. This incident, occurring in waters connecting Nordic countries to Germany and Lithuania, raises international security concerns, especially following the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions. The investigation gains significance as China, Russia’s main geopolitical ally, has been accused by NATO of supporting Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The ship’s owner has agreed to cooperate with investigators at the Chinese government’s request.
Belarus’s Ministry of Defense hosted an international military conference focusing on security issues within the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The meeting addressed combat support systems and equipment for CSTO’s rapid reaction forces, signaling continued military coordination between Russia, Belarus, and other CSTO members during a period of heightened regional tensions. This alliance’s strengthening could impact the balance of power and stability in Eastern Europe.
The Path to Peace
Russian President Putin has expressed willingness to discuss a Ukraine ceasefire with the U.S., proposing terms that include freezing conflict lines in occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson (of which Russia controls 70-80%), potentially withdrawing from parts of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions, and demanding Ukraine abandon NATO aspirations; while President Zelensky stated Ukraine cannot legally recognize any occupied territory as Russian, including Crimea (annexed in 2014), he indicated openness to diplomatic solutions for recovering Crimea rather than military means, as President-elect Trump’s victory raises concerns about potential pressure on Ukraine to negotiate with Russia, and a recent Gallup poll shows growing Ukrainian support for negotiated peace with most preferring European or UK mediation over U.S. involvement under Trump, though without a ceasefire agreement Russia continues to occupy about one-fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, while Ukraine maintains its 10-point peace formula requiring Russian withdrawal and full territorial integrity.
Situation On The Land, Sea, and Air in Ukraine
According to Ukrainian Artillery Colonel Serhiy Musienko, Russian forces are adapting their tactics while facing ammunition shortages. They’ve begun using older Soviet howitzers and dispersing artillery to avoid Ukrainian strikes. Russian assault tactics now involve small teams coordinating progressive advances, using various vehicles including motorcycles and ATVs for rapid approaches. Russia has also developed a drone-missile system in Crimea capable of identifying and striking targets in the Zaporizhia direction within 30 minutes.
Recent reports indicate widespread desertion within Russia’s military, with over 1,000 servicemembers, including officers, abandoning the 20th Motorized Rifle Division as of April 20, 2024. According to Russian opposition outlet iStories, soldiers cite high casualties, unpaid wages, and the practice of sending injured personnel into combat as key reasons for desertion. Additionally, troops from the 36th Motorized Rifle Brigade have reported being forced to conduct assaults without proper reconnaissance or artillery support and must purchase their own equipment using personal funds. These issues suggest significant morale problems within Russian military units that command leadership appears aware of but has not addressed.
Ukrainian forces are increasingly relying on drone operations due to artillery shortages, with drone strikes now accounting for about 80% of Russian casualties along the front line, according to The New York Times. However, Russian forces have begun targeting Ukrainian drone teams with glide bombs. Ukrainian commanders emphasize that both artillery and strike drones remain crucial in preventing Russian forces from closing in on their positions.
Ukrainian drone operations are significantly impacting Russian mechanized movements, forcing them to advance on foot and helping offset Ukraine’s manpower limitations. While neither side has mastered modern mechanized warfare, the frontline remains active with both armies continuously adapting their tactics and technology.
Russian forces executed two captured Ukrainian soldiers near Novodmytrivka in Donetsk Oblast’s Pokrovsk District on November 10. The prisoners were forced to strip naked before being shot in a forest area, according to the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
Ukrainian Operations in the Russian Federation – Initiative None
Russian forces made advances in Ukraine’s main salient in Kursk Oblast. They moved north of Zeleny Shlyakh and northwest of Malaya Loknya, as confirmed by footage from November 14-18. Russia claims to have disrupted Ukrainian forces near Olgovka forest and cut supply routes, though this is unconfirmed. Russian naval, airborne, and Chechen special forces are active in the area, particularly in Sudzha Raion. No fighting was reported in Glushkovsky Raion west of the main salient.
Ukraine launched a comprehensive military operation combining Storm Shadow missiles and drones against multiple Russian targets, marking the first use of UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles within Russia proper. The primary target was the Baryatinsky Estate near Marino in Kursk Oblast, approximately 30km from the front line, suspected of housing a command post for Russian and North Korean troops, with Russian sources reporting up to 12 Storm Shadow missiles used in the operation.
In concurrent operations, Ukraine conducted multiple drone strikes, with Russia claiming to have intercepted 44 drones across several regions. Key targets included an EFKO plant in Alekseyevka, Belgorod Oblast (allegedly producing military drones), the 13th GRAU arsenal near Kotovo in Novgorod Oblast (680 kilometers from Ukraine’s border, storing missiles and artillery), and a military command post of Russia’s Sever military grouping in Gubkin, Belgorod Oblast. The Sever group, led by Colonel General Alexander Lapin, comprised approximately 48,000 personnel, 350 tanks, and 950 artillery systems, operating in northern Kharkiv and Russian border regions, with Gubkin having previously experienced a Ukrainian drone strike in September 2024.
While UK Defense Secretary John Healey declined to confirm the attacks, he acknowledged meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to discuss Ukraine’s response to Russian escalations, including mass attacks on Ukrainian cities and North Korean troop deployment in Kursk Oblast. The strikes followed Ukraine’s first reported use of U.S.-made ATACMS missiles against Russian territory, with Storm Shadow missiles (range 250-560 kilometers) having been previously used against Russian targets in occupied Crimea.
This coordinated attack strategy demonstrates Ukraine’s enhanced capability to conduct complex military operations against Russian rear positions through the effective integration of Western-provided weapons with its domestic military capabilities, including drones, F-16s, HIMARS, and ATACMS systems. The addition of more advanced Western systems like JASSMs, Storm Shadows, and SCALP missiles has enhanced Ukraine’s precision strike capabilities at greater distances, though Western restrictions on Ukraine’s use of provided weapons within Russian territory have limited these capabilities, necessitating continued Western military support alongside Ukraine’s own defense production efforts.
Kharkiv Front – Initiative Russia
Russian forces conducted offensive operations near Vovchansk and Starytsya northeast of Kharkiv City, though no confirmed advances were made. Russian sources claim they repelled a Ukrainian counterattack near Hlyboke and Lyptsi, with reports of a company-sized Ukrainian mechanized assault near Hlyboke. The fall of leaves in the region has reduced cover for both sides, making them more vulnerable to drone and artillery detection.
Luhansk Front – Initiative Russia
Russian forces advanced in western Hlushkivka near Kupyansk. While they claim advances near Kruhlyakivka, these remain unconfirmed. Russian operations continue along multiple locations: north of Kupyansk near Kindrashivka; east of Kupyansk near Kucherivka, Petropavlivka, and Pershotravneve; and in areas around Svatove and Kreminna including Zarichne, Terny, and Torske. Russian forces reportedly struck a Ukrainian pontoon crossing near Raihorodok with a missile.
Donetsk Front – Initiative Russia
Siversk
Reports indicate no fighting in the Siversk area. A Russian military blogger noted that Russian forces near Siversk face constant pressure from Ukrainian drone operations.
Chasiv Yar
Russian forces made advances around Chasiv Yar. They progressed east of Orikhovo-Vasylivka and west of Ozaryanivka, with the 6th Motorized Rifle Division reportedly breaking through between Chasiv Yar and Klishchiivka. Ukrainian spokesperson Major Bobovnikova reported Russians using small fireteams to attack central Chasiv Yar, though without significant breakthroughs. Russian sources claim control of positions in central Chasiv Yar, including advances in the Zhovtnevyi Microraion area and attacks near a brick factory.
Toretsk
Russian forces advanced in Toretsk gaining ground in the northern and southwestern parts of the city. Russian military sources report progress in central Toretsk near high-rise buildings, along Hrushevskoho Street, and near the Avanhard Stadium. Fighting continues in Toretsk and nearby settlements of Druzhba and Shcherbynivka.
Pokrovsk
Recent fighting near Pokrovsk shows Ukrainian forces regaining positions south of Mykolaivka. Russian sources claim advances into Yurivka and west of Novooleksiivka, though these claims are unverified. Russian forces continue attacks across multiple settlements including Myrolyubivka, Promin, Krutyi Yar, Krasnyi Yar, Lysivka, Dachenske, Petrivka, Hryhorivka, Pushkine, Zhovte, and Yurivka.
Kurakhove
Russian forces are advancing near Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast, launching up to 10 daily assaults using infantry groups, armored vehicles, and attempts to cross the Vovcha River with rubber boats, while gaining ground south of Sontsivka, east of Berestky, and in eastern Kurakhove along Franka Street and the railway bridge; they have reportedly captured Nova Illinka and Novoselydivka village (7 kilometers north of Kurakhove), control most of Berestky, and are conducting operations in Kurakhove’s residential areas, with fighting continuing across settlements including Zorya, Sontsivka, Novoselydivka, Berestky, Maksymilyanivka, and Dalne.
The intensified Russian offensive employs kamikaze drones, artillery, and elevated positions north of Kurakhove to attack Ukrainian defenses and supply lines, having damaged the Kurakhove Reservoir dam on November 11, while the city lies 5.5 km from potential Russian encirclement and has suffered extensive damage from artillery and KAB strikes, including attacks on civilian evacuation vehicles from the “White Angels” team; Ukrainian forces are responding with Western-supplied tanks like the Leopard 2A4, which offer improved capabilities over Soviet-era models for quick strike-and-retreat operations, using smoke screens for protection while retreating.
Southwest of Donetsk City
Russian forces advanced north of Vuhledar making progress northeast of Bohoyavlenka. Russian sources claim advances near Trudove, along the Kostiantynopolske-Sukhy Yaly line, and towards Vesely Hai, though some claims remain unverified. Fighting continues near Katerynivka, Yelyzavetivka, Antonivka, Trudove, Kostiantynopolske, and Suki Yaly.
Zaporizhia Front – Initiative Russia
Zaporizhia-Donetsk Border Area
Russian forces launched attacks along the Donetsk-Zaporizhia border area focusing on the region around Velyka Novosilka. Russian troops conducted assaults near Makarivka, Rivnopil, and Novodarivka, using small squads of 5-10 infantry with armored vehicle support. They targeted areas northeast of Velyka Novosilka near Rozdolne and around Novodarivka, attempting to disrupt Ukrainian supply lines between Velyka Novosilka and Kurakhove. While Russian sources claim advances in these areas, no confirmed changes to the frontline have been reported. Russian forces are reportedly operating drone units in the Velyka Novosilka area, and Ukrainian forces are said to be conducting counterattacks near Rivnopil.
Zaporizhia Line
Russian forces continued attacks in western Zaporizhia Oblast near Robotyne targeting Novoandriivka, Nesteryanka, and Mala Tokmachka. Due to Ukrainian strikes, Russian forces are conducting infantry-only assaults using small groups of 1-2 soldiers, with vehicles solely for transport. Russian troops face communication challenges due to Ukrainian electronic warfare and insufficient radio equipment, forcing many to rely on personal devices. Weather conditions are expected to reach freezing temperatures in the area by late November. No confirmed changes to the frontline have been reported.
Kherson (Dnipro River) Front – Initiative Russia
Fighting continued along the Dnipro River in eastern Kherson Oblast with no changes to the frontline reported.
Ukraine News
Russian forces launched a major aerial assault on Ukraine overnight using S-300 missiles, Kh-59/69 cruise missiles, and 122 Shahed drones targeting multiple regions. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 2 cruise missiles and 56 drones across 14 oblasts, while electronic warfare disrupted 58 additional drones. The attacks damaged an administrative building in Pryluky, Chernihiv Oblast, and caused damage to residential and commercial areas in Kyiv Oblast. Russian sources claim their forces struck Starokostyantyniv Airfield in Khmelnytskyi Oblast and military targets in Sumy Oblast.
Russia has diversified its attack methods against Ukrainian infrastructure, combining Iranian and domestic Shahed drones, North Korean and Russian missiles (including hypersonic types), and aerial bombs to maximize damage to critical targets.
Ukraine’s power grid faces critical risks after Russia’s November 17 missile and drone attack targeted electrical substations connected to nuclear power plants, according to Greenpeace. The strikes affected infrastructure vital to three nuclear facilities: Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, and South Ukraine plants, which provide two-thirds of Ukraine’s electricity. While reactors weren’t directly hit, damaged substations forced six of nine reactors to operate at reduced capacity. Russia launched approximately 210 missiles and drones, damaging thermal power plants and requiring nationwide electricity rationing. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed severed power lines to nuclear plants, with explosions reported near Khmelnytskyi. Ukraine’s private energy company DTEK described this as one of the most destructive attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure to date.
President Zelensky stated that ending the Ukraine war depends more on the United States than Russia, noting Putin’s relative weakness compared to U.S. influence. In a Fox News interview marking 1,000 days of Russia’s invasion, Zelensky expressed concern about Ukraine’s survival without continued U.S. military aid.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv closed following “specific information” about a possible major Russian aerial attack, with the embassies of Spain, Italy, and Greece also suspending operations and Kazakhstan urging its citizens to leave Ukraine, while Ukrainian military sources confirmed the threat of a ballistic missile strike but warned that Russian services were conducting psychological operations to spread panic.
The UN World Food Program has allocated $2.1 billion to Ukraine for 2025-2027 to provide humanitarian aid, civilian support, demining, and agricultural export assistance. Prime Minister Shmyhal announced this support as Russian invasion has caused $80 billion in damage to Ukraine’s agricultural sector, which previously fed 400 million people worldwide and significantly disrupted global food supply chains.
Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating Russian forces for executing two Ukrainian POWs near Novodmytrivka, Donetsk Oblast on November 10, violating the Geneva Convention. Ukrainian Ombudsman Lubinets reports that while 3,767 Ukrainians (including 168 civilians) have been returned from Russian captivity since February 2022, tens of thousands remain captive. Recent Ukrainian military success in Kursk Oblast may have motivated Russia to participate more actively in prisoner exchanges.
A Ukrainian court sentenced Russian actor Vladimir Mashkov to 10 years in prison in absentia and seized his Odesa apartment. As a co-chairman of Putin’s 2024 presidential campaign and head of a theater, Mashkov was convicted of war propaganda and supporting violations of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. He remains in Russia and did not attend the court proceedings.
Ukraine’s parliament passed a law allowing the revocation of state awards from individuals who promote Russian propaganda or act against Ukrainian interests. The legislation, backed by 283 lawmakers, enables the National Security and Defense Council to withdraw honors through presidential decree. President Zelensky proposed the law in July 2022 after difficulties in stripping awards from pro-Russian figures, including attempts to revoke Yurii Boyko’s Hero of Ukraine title.
Innocent Victims Of War
The casualty count of civilians in the past 24 hours: (Russian War Crimes)
DEATHS: 3 INJURIES: 32
Russian forces attacked Pershomaryivka village in Donetsk Oblast’s Kramatorsk district with cluster munitions killing an 11-year-old boy and seriously wounding his 13-year-old sister, who is now receiving treatment in Dnipro. A 63-year-old man was also hospitalized with multiple injuries after the attack struck a residential yard.
Russian forces attacked 21 settlements across Kherson Oblast, including Kherson city, killing two people and injuring 15 others.
Russian forces attacked Kharkiv’s Kyivskyi district, injuring nine men, including an 18-year-old who was seriously wounded. In Kharkiv Oblast’s Kupiansk, shelling injured two women and damaged residential buildings.
Russian attacks injured three people in the Donetsk Oblast towns of Myrnohrad, Mykolaivka, and Stara Mykolaivka.
Russian forces attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast’s Nikopol district with artillery, drones, and Grad rockets, injuring a 46-year-old woman.
A home in Pershomaryivka, Donetsk Oblast, targeted by a deadly Russian attack. (Ukraine’s National Police / Telegram)
The aftermath of the Russian attacks against the Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Serhii Lysak/Telegram)
Ukraine Mobilization and Defense Industrial Base
Ukraine’s parliament approved a draft law to eliminate medical examination commissions for disability determinations following corruption allegations. The bill, supported by 260 lawmakers, aims to replace Soviet-era commissions with a new system assessing daily functioning by December 2024. The Security Service exposed schemes resulting in over 4,000 fake disability certificates, leading to 64 officials being charged. The reform comes after revelations that officials used fraudulent certifications to avoid military service and gain benefits, prompting Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin’s resignation.
Ukraine’s Allies
The US announced a $275 million military aid package for Ukraine, including HIMARS ammunition, artillery shells, Javelin missiles, drones, anti-armor systems, and protective equipment, with President Biden approving anti-personnel landmines (APL) on November 20 to counter Russian advances in eastern Ukraine, reversing his previous position following Russia’s capture of 1,200 sq. km of Ukrainian territory since August; while Biden has committed $60 billion in military aid and authorized APLs and ATACMS missiles for use against Russian territory (with Ukraine already using ATACMS to strike targets in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast), future support remains uncertain as President-elect Trump, who takes office in January 2025, has suggested using aid suspension to push Ukraine into negotiations with Russia.
The US will provide “nonpersistent” mines that self-deactivate within weeks to minimize civilian risk, with Ukraine committing to avoiding their use in populated areas, though currently about 250,000 sq. km of Ukrainian territory is contaminated with mines and explosives from the ongoing conflict, with both sides reportedly using APLs; while these mines violate the Ottawa Convention’s ban on anti-personnel mines, neither the US nor Russia are signatories to this agreement.
President Biden has asked Congress to cancel half of Ukraine’s $10 billion economic aid debt, approximately $4.65 billion. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Congress can overturn this request but expects bipartisan support. With two months until Trump’s presidency, Biden plans to deliver the remaining $6 billion in aid and has approved sending anti-personnel land mines and ATACMS missiles to Ukraine.
Germany has delivered new military aid to Ukraine, including four Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers, three Gepard anti-aircraft guns, Marder IFV ammunition, 47 mine-resistant vehicles, radar systems, artillery rounds, drones, and support equipment. As Germany’s second-largest military aid provider after the U.S., its support will decrease from 8 billion euros in 2024 to 4 billion euros in 2025. While the U.S. approved ATACMS strikes on Russian soil, German Chancellor Scholz refuses to supply Taurus missiles, though this policy could change after Germany’s February elections, where opposition party CDU/CSU leads the polls.
Life in Russian Occupied Ukraine
The FSB detained two people in occupied Crimea for a car bombing in Sevastopol that killed Russian Navy officer Valery Trankovsky.
Russia News
Russia has begun producing KUB-M mobile bomb shelters, claimed to withstand radiation and other wartime hazards for up to 48 hours and house 54 people. However, Defense Express identified gaps in the concrete blocks that could compromise protection. This development follows Biden’s approval for Ukraine to use US-made long-range missiles against Russian territory, which prompted Moscow to lower its nuclear strike threshold and vow retaliation. Russia claims such attacks would represent direct US involvement in the conflict.
Russian opposition outlet Verstka reports that the government has allocated 180 million rubles ($1.7 million) for DNA testing to identify deceased soldiers in 2024, marking the highest annual spending for this purpose since the war began. This increased funding for identifying casualties suggests growing concerns about both military losses and economic impacts.
Russia’s FSB detained German citizen Nikolai Gaiduk, accusing him of planning attacks on energy infrastructure in Kaliningrad, including a March 2024 gas station bombing. The FSB claims Gaiduk, a Hamburg resident originally from Ukraine, was caught entering from Poland with liquid explosives. He allegedly worked with Ukrainian citizen Alexander Zhorov.
Russia’s largest automaker Avtovaz warns new vehicle sales could drop 21-30% in 2025 due to high interest rates, according to CEO Maxim Sokolov. With Russia’s central bank rate at 21% – the highest since 2003 – consumers are choosing bank deposits over car purchases. The economic pressure extends beyond automotive, with reports indicating 30 Russian airlines, comprising 26% of domestic passenger traffic, face potential bankruptcy in 2025. These challenges stem from the central bank’s efforts to control inflation driven by wartime spending.
Russian War Losses (Today/Total)
|
Troops +1690
725740 |
Tanks +8
9390 |
Artillery +49
20681 |
Arm. VEH +27
19119 |
Aircraft
369 |
Heli
329 |
Ships
28 |
Russia Mobilization and Defense Industrial Base
The Russian Defense Ministry has announced that former private military company (PMC) fighters must provide notarized witness statements to receive veteran status and benefits, with the ministry covering notarization costs. This new requirement, particularly affecting former Wagner Group members who haven’t signed military contracts, may increase tensions between PMC veterans and regular military personnel.
Russia is now equipping Iranian-made Shahed drones with thermobaric warheads at a plant in Alabuga, Tatarstan, according to an Associated Press investigation. These modified drones carry payloads (TB BCh-50) that create devastating fireballs reaching 3,000°C and contain 2,300 steel balls. Russia deploys them alongside decoy drones in “Operation False Target” to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. The thermobaric weapons can cause severe damage to buildings and lethal injuries to people, even behind walls, with attacks already confirmed on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
A Russian source reports that bureaucratic hurdles in the Defense Ministry and stringent licensing requirements from the Federal Security Service (FSB) are hampering private initiatives to develop air defense systems against Ukrainian drones. The source notes that the Russian defense industry is also reluctant to share components with these “People’s DIB” (Defense Industrial Base) projects.
Russia’s Allies
Colonel General Kim Yong Bok, a high-ranking North Korean military official and close ally of Kim Jong Un, is overseeing North Korean troops in Russia, according to The Wall Street Journal. As Deputy Chief of the Army General Staff, Kim is managing the integration of over 10,000 North Korean soldiers into Russian forces following a mutual defense treaty between the two nations announced November 12. Initial clashes between Ukrainian and North Korean troops have been reported in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. Kim previously led a 200,000-strong special forces unit and is believed to be the third-highest ranking official in North Korea’s military, though his role has been largely secretive.
Source Material
Institute for the Study of War – understandingwar.org
The Kyiv Independent – kyivindependent.com
Kyiv Post – kyivpost.com