Ukraine-Russia latest: Trump ‘to call Putin’ as EU urges US president-elect to keep supporting Kyiv

North Korean troops engaged in clashes against Ukrainian forces that are fighting in the Russian Kursk region, the New York Timesreported late last night, citing an unnamed senior US official and an unnamed senior Ukrainian official.

The engagement was limited and likely meant to probe the Ukrainian lines for weaknesses, the Ukrainian official said. The Ukrainian official added that the North Korean troops fought together with Russia’s 810 Separate Naval Infantry Brigade.

The US official told the newspaper that a significant number of North Korean troops were killed.

The office of Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian defence ministry, the Russian defence ministry, the Pentagon and the US Department of State have not issued a comment on the report.

Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov confirmed the first clash, describing it as a “small-scale” skirmish, had taken place between Ukrainian and North Korean troops.

“Yes, I think so. It is (an) engagement,” Mr Umerov told South Korea’s KBS television in an interview broadcast yesterday, when asked if a clash had occurred. He said the engagement was small for now, but more are expected as the number of North Koreans deployed grows.

Ukrainian troops launched an incursion into Russia’s border Kursk region on 6 August, taking a number of settlements under control in the first such deployment onto the Russian territory since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine’s air defence units destroyed 38 Russian drones overnight, its air force said this morning.

Another 22 Russian drones were lost over the Ukrainian territory and its airspace, the air force said on Telegram, without providing further details.

The air force has said before that lost drones are usually intercepted by electronic warfare. The air force also said that Russia launched two missiles on the southern Odesa region late last night.

Russia’s upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, has ratified a military agreement with North Korea that promises mutual assistance in the event of an attack.

The treaty, signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a visit to Pyongyang in June, states that both countries would provide military support “by all means” if either is attacked.

The deal marks the most significant military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang since the Cold War.

The treaty had already been ratified by the lower house, the State Duma, on 24 October.

This comes amid growing concerns over North Korean involvement in Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine.

On Monday, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed reports that up to 10,000 North Korean troops had been deployed to Russia’s Kursk region.

These troops are reportedly preparing to join Russian forces in Ukraine, marking the first large-scale deployment of North Korean forces in a foreign conflict since the Korean War in 1950.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the US presidential election, hoping for a “strong bipartisan support” his country in its fight against Russia.

It comes after concerns were voiced among Ukraine’s allies that US support for Ukraine could wane under a Trump presidency.

Mr Zelensky said: “I appreciate president Trump’s commitment to the ‘peace through strength’ approach in global affairs. This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer. I am hopeful that we will put it into action together.

“We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump’s decisive leadership.

“We rely on continued strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States. We are interested in developing mutually beneficial political and economic cooperation that will benefit both of our nations.

“Ukraine, as one of Europe’s strongest military powers, is committed to ensuring long-term peace and security in Europe and the transatlantic community with the support of our allies.

“I am looking forward to personally congratulating President Trump and discussing ways to strengthen Ukraine’s strategic partnership with the United States.”

It’s not only the American public holding its breath in anticipation as the vote projections for the Kamala Harris versus Donald Trump presidential contest roll in. Russian president Vladimir Putin is among those watching closely, with much at stake in the outcome.

The Kremlin seems undecided about whom it would prefer to see as the next US president. Putin clearly understands that, regardless of who occupies the Oval Office, the US stance toward Russia is likely to remain unfriendly. In fact, some animosity between Trump and the Kremlin has been playing out over the past few months.

Regardless of who wins, the Kremlin has reportedly developed two alternative plans for resolving the military conflict with Ukraine — one in the event that Trump wins and another for if Harris becomes president.

Svetlana Satchkova writes:

Prominent Russian nationalist and former militia commander Igor Girkin has lost his appeal against a four-year prison sentence, the Supreme Court ruled.

Girkin, who rose to notoriety under the nickname Igor Strelkov during the fighting in eastern Ukraine nearly a decade ago, was convicted in January by a Moscow court for inciting extremism - a charge he has denied.

The former top military commander of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” became a controversial figure after publicly criticising President Vladimir Putin and the Russian military’s handling of the war in Ukraine.

Despite Girkin’s appeal, the Supreme Court upheld the sentence.

The Kremlin has responded cautiously following Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election.

Officials suggested that while Trump’s rhetoric on ending the Ukraine war was noteworthy, it remains to be seen if it will translate into tangible policy changes.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made clear that, despite Trump's campaign promises to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, Russia viewed the US as an "unfriendly" state that remained deeply involved in the conflict.

"Let us not forget that we are talking about an unfriendly country, which is both directly and indirectly involved in a war against our state," Mr Peskov told reporters, adding that Moscow would wait to see if Trump’s statements on Ukraine would result in concrete actions.

Despite the continued animosity, Russian state media during the election campaign showed a clear preference for Trump, suggesting some hope in Moscow that his administration could be more amenable to dialogue than the current one.

Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund and a former Goldman Sachs banker with prior contacts to Trump’s team, said that a Trump presidency could offer a "new opportunity" for a reset in US-Russia relations.