Putin warns West over ship seizures as reports highlight North Korean missile deployment and growing FSB influence

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a warning to Western governments regarding the seizure of Russian commercial vessels, describing the maritime detentions as "piracy" and signaling potential retaliatory measures.

In parallel military developments, Ukrainian defense intelligence representative Andrii Cherniak reported that approximately 90 North Korean troops are deploying to western Russia's Voronezh region. The personnel are reportedly tasked with operating six launchers equipped with roughly 120 ballistic missiles intended for operations against Ukraine.

Meanwhile, security analyst Andrei Soldatov stated that Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has accumulated substantial domestic authority since the start of the 2022 invasion. Soldatov noted that the Kremlin has increasingly leaned on security and intelligence structures to oversee wartime narratives, maintain political stability, and enforce internal societal control.

Sources: BalkanWeb, Gazeta Tema, Koha