Ukraine and Russia trade heavy drone strikes as Zelensky warns of North Korean troop deployment

Cross-border strikes between Russian and Ukrainian forces have continued to intensify. Russian authorities reported shooting down 81 Ukrainian drones directed at the Moscow region, where fallen debris damaged a residential building and ignited a fire at an industrial facility in Chekhov. Simultaneously, Ukrainian air defenses intercepted a large-scale barrage of over 130 Russian drones launched across multiple sectors. Russian aerial bombardment also targeted regional centers including Zaporizhzhia, Izium, and Sumy, leaving at least one civilian dead and several others injured.

In a related statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Russian forces suffered over 220,000 casualties over the past seven months. Zelensky further alleged that Moscow is preparing to deploy approximately 30,000 North Korean troops to reinforce its positions while supplying satellite intelligence to Iran.

Sources: Moldova1, TV8, Ziarul de Gardă