The Russian invasion

The outside world's response
Erdogan to Putin: We should cooperate more

On Sunday, Turkish President Erdogan held a telephone conversation with Russian President Putin, reports AFP.

"President Erdogan clarified that he intends to increase cooperation between Turkey and Russia in several areas, especially increased trade volumes," his staff wrote in a statement.

Turkey has condemned Russia's invasion, but has remained neutral and avoided sanctions against Russia. This justifies Erdogan with the Turkish dependence on Russian oil and gas.

Trump's adviser critical of mines to Ukraine

Joe Biden's decision to give anti-personnel mines to Ukraine has turned the war into "trench warfare similar to World War I". That's what Mike Waltz, who Donald Trump has nominated as the new national security adviser, says, according to The Hill.

Trump is "extremely concerned" about the escalation in the war, he continues.

- We need to restore deterrence, restore peace and precede this step of escalation instead of responding to it.

Waltz is known as hawkish when it comes to foreign policy, writes AFP. He has criticized Russia, but like Trump also opposed increased support for Ukraine.

Ukraine denies reports of North Koreans in Kharkiv

The Ukrainian army in Kharkiv denies earlier reports that North Korean soldiers were seen in the region, writes the ISW think tank in its daily situation report.

The information came from an anonymous Ukrainian military source to CNN on Friday. According to the army, the source is not an official spokesman for the army in Kharkiv.

A source within the Ukrainian intelligence service also tells CNN that North Korean "technical advisers" have arrived in Russian-occupied Mariupol, where they are housed in separate accommodation. This report has not been officially denied.

The battles
Russian general fired for false war reports

Russian Colonel-General Gennady Anashkin, commander of the Southern Military District, has been fired for false reports about the state of war in eastern Ukraine. This is reported by Russian military bloggers and media according to CNN. Anashkin allegedly lied about Russia capturing several villages.

According to the ISW think tank, there is widespread irritation among the popular pro-Kremlin military blogs about the Russian military culture of exaggerating war successes for their superiors. Anashkin's dismissal is said to have been praised.

The Russian Ministry of Defense confirms that Anashkin was transferred, but claims that it was a "planned rotation". 

Brit fought for Ukraine - captured by Russia

A British man who fought for Ukraine has been captured by Russia, reports The Telegraph.

In videos shared by pro-Russian accounts, the man is seen saying he is a former British Army private who joined Ukraine's Foreign Legion after the 2022 Russian invasion.

- I had just lost my job. Dad was in prison. I saw it on TV. It was a bad idea, says the man.

The man may have been forced to speak under duress – in the video his hands appear to be tied.

According to The Telegraph, the British Foreign Office states that it is aware of the case and is in contact with the man's family.

Ukraine ready to accept North Korean defectors

The Ukrainian state helpline "I want to live", which targets Russian defectors, has launched a Telegram campaign in Korean to persuade North Korean soldiers to defect. Newsweek reports.

“You shouldn't die a senseless death on foreign soil. Don't meet the same fate as the hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers who were never allowed to return home," reads the message.

The helpline does not expect the exchange to be called down by North Koreans, but still believes that some will make contact, says spokesperson Vitalij.

"I want to live" has also prepared Korean video messages, leaflets to be distributed at the front, and has Korean-speaking staff on standby.

The work has been helped by South Korea, which has a long tradition of accepting North Korean refugees.