News Atlas

GuardianSep 29Preview

Why is South Korea so angry with Ukraine over two North Korean prisoners of war?

Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s mention during a UN speech that Kyiv had sent two prisoners of war to South Korea has spiralled into a most unexpected crisisSouth Korea and Ukraine are locked in an escalating diplomatic dispute over who agreed what regarding the circumstances of two prisoners of war captured fighting for Russia.Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told the UN general assembly last week that his country had “sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea”. Continue reading...

Raphael Rashid in SeoulSouth KoreaUkraine

GuardianSep 29Preview

Ukraine war briefing: Putin orders army expansion as Zelenskyy says more North Koreans to be deployed in Russia

Putin’s order comes as both Russian and Ukrainian forces suffer mounting casualties. What we know on day 1,679Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered ⁠an increase in the size ⁠of the army to 1.55 ⁠million active ‌servicemen, according ‌to a ‌presidential decree on Monday. The order comes as both Russia and Ukraine suffer mounting casualties in the more than four-and-a-half-year Ukraine war. The expansion, which follows a similar increase ordered in August, ‌will put the size of Russia’s armed forces at ⁠2,441,630. Of those are 1,550,000 active servicemen, an increase of 15,500.Ukrainian president ⁠Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X on ‌Monday ‌there were now more than 8,000 ‌North Korean troops on ⁠Russian territory and preparations were under way to ‌deploy another 10,000 troops. Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un confirmed for the first time last year that North K

Guardian staff and agenciesUkraineRussia

BBCSep 28Preview

Seoul summons Ukraine envoy over North Korean prisoner-of-war row

Last week Zelensky revealed Ukraine had sent two captured North Koreans to South Korea - which Seoul says was meant to be a secret.