Moscow expands military cooperation and issues maritime warnings to Western powers

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Western nations of potential retaliation over the impoundment of Russian merchant vessels, characterizing such actions as "piracy" during a recent naval exercise.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian military intelligence representative Andrii Cherniak stated that approximately 90 North Korean military personnel are deploying to Russia's western Voronezh region. According to Cherniak, the specialized unit is expected to operate six launch systems capable of firing around 120 ballistic missiles against Ukrainian targets.

Domestically, Russian investigative analyst Andrei Soldatov highlighted that the Federal Security Service has accumulated unprecedented power since the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, asserting that the Kremlin has grown increasingly reliant on intelligence agencies to enforce public discipline and preserve political stability.

Sources: BalkanWeb, Gazeta Tema, Koha