Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that Russia had suffered heavy losses in five months of fighting Ukrainian forces in southern Russia's Kursk region, with nearly 15,000 killed.

Russia’s Defense Ministry is claiming that its troops in eastern Ukraine have captured the town of Kurakhove after a months-long battle.

The surprise attack seeks to reverse Ukraine’s decreasing hold of the region. Since Kyiv’s forces gained partial control of Kursk following a daring cross-border assault last August, Russian troops, aided by North Korean soldiers, have halved the territory held by Ukraine, albeit while suffering thousands of casualties.

Russia's ministry of defence claims it has thwarted Ukraine's latest offensive in the Kursk region. This comes after Russian military bloggers discussed Ukraine's "worrying progress" in the region.

The US believes Russia intends to share advanced space and satellite technology with Pyongyang, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

Russian forces in Ukraine are advancing at their fastest pace since the early days of the invasion thanks to the biggest advantage Moscow has: manpower.

Ukraine must not accept a "Finlandization" deal struck following a previous invasion by Moscow 85 years ago, experts tell Newsweek.

Russia said on Monday its forces had made important gains in eastern Ukraine while continuing to fend off a new Ukrainian offensive inside the Kursk region of western Russia, where a second day of fierce fighting was under way.

More than 51,000 households were left without gas and 1,500 apartment buildings had no winter heat in Moldova's Moscow-backed separatist enclave, authorities said on Monday, as Moldova and Russia traded blame for an escalating energy crisis.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is raising concerns about the growing relationship between Russia and North Korea.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that Ukraine needed to have a realistic position on territorial issues as part of efforts to bring about a negotiation with Russia.