Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that "several" wounded North Korean soldiers died after being captured by Ukrainian forces, as he accused Russia of throwing them into battle with "minimal protection".

South Korea’s spy agency said Friday a wounded North Korean soldier who was captured while fighting for Russia against Ukrainian forces has since died from his injuries, the Yonhap news agency reported.

The first North Korean soldier taken prisoner of war by Ukrainian forces while fighting for Russia has died of his injuries, South Korean intelligence said Friday.

Russia’s drone strikes on Ukraine have increased sixfold in four months. The offensive is being fueled by a facility in Russia’s southern Tatarstan region, which is ramping up production with the help of a low-skilled workforce of Russian students.

Both Russia and Ukraine expanded the use of drones in 2024 as a relatively cheap means of warfare that requires an opponent to use a much more expensive air defense system. Moscow and Kyiv acquired 1.

Ukraine's Air Force has carried out a precise strike on a factory producing ballistic missile fuel in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, in Russiaʼs Rostov Oblast. Source: Centre for Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Telegram Details: The military reported that the factory targeted was used by the Russians for producing solid propellant for the ballistic missiles which they use to strike critical and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is open to a Slovakian proposal to host peace talks with Ukraine to end a conflict he said Russia was determined to bring to a conclusion.

Russian ruler Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, 26 December, answering a question about the prospects for ending the war in Ukraine in 2025, that he was "striving" to end it but was still going to achieve his "goals".