Kiev

Russian lawmakers on Wednesday voted unanimously to ratify a landmark mutual defense pact with North Korea, as Kiev and the West claim Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine.

The agreement formalizes months of deepening security cooperation between the two nations, which were Communist allies throughout the Cold War.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Russia is giving serious consideration to Türkiye's proposal for organizing peace talks with Ukraine and reviving the grain export agreement.

Kiev has announced a fresh mobilization drive as Moscow seized the mining hub of Selydove and the U.S. said some North Korean troops were in Russia's Kursk region, warning that thousands more were on their way.

North Korea said on Tuesday its top diplomat is visiting Russia, in another sign of their deepening relations as rival South Korea and Western nations say the North has sent thousands of troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday he hoped the West "heard" his warning about the danger of a direct war with NATO if it allowed Ukraine to use long-range weapons against Russia.

Putin made the initial threat in September after Britain and the United States mulled letting Kiev use long-range arms against Russian targets, warning this would put NATO "at war" with Moscow.

Russian aerial attacks wounded more than a dozen and knocked out electricity for tens of thousands of Ukrainians overnight in attacks on residential areas as temperatures dropped towards freezing, Kiev said on Oct. 20.

Moscow also said it had shot down 110 Ukrainian drones fired at its territory overnight, the largest attempted aerial barrage by Kiev in more than two weeks.

President Volodymyr Zelensky told allies Thursday Ukraine must be in a position of strength before any peace talks with Russia, as he presented his "victory plan" to EU leaders and NATO defence chiefs in Brussels.

President Volodymyr Zelensky told allies Thursday that Ukraine must be in a position of strength before any peace talks with Russia, as he explained his "victory plan" to EU leaders and NATO defense chiefs in Brussels.

President Volodymyr Zelensky today unveiled his long-awaited “victory plan” in the Ukrainian parliament, urging Ukrainians to remain united in uncertain times ahead of the November 5 presidential election in his ally the United States.