Russia’s FSB security agency announced it had detained a suspect over the car bomb killing of a high-ranking Russian military officer.
The Kremlin blamed Ukraine for the blast on Friday that killed 59-year-old Yaroslav Moskalik, a deputy chief in Russia’s armed forces.
Kyiv has yet to officially comment on Moskalik’s death.
The FSB identified the suspect as Ignat Kuzin, describing him as “an agent of the Ukrainian special services.”
Disputed claims over Kursk region
Nearly nine months after Ukrainian forces seized parts of Russia’s Kursk region in a surprise attack, Moscow now claims its troops have fully recaptured the contested border area.
Ukraine, however, disputes this, stating that heavy fighting is still ongoing in Belgorod, another Russian region along the border.
If Moscow’s claim is verified, reclaiming Kursk would strip Kyiv of critical leverage in U.S.-brokered negotiations, where exchanging captured territory could be used to seek the return of Ukraine’s occupied lands.
Russia also officially confirmed for the first time that North Korean soldiers have been fighting alongside Russian forces in Kursk, with Russia’s General Staff praising their “heroism” in pushing out Ukrainian troops.
Ukraine’s initial seizure of Kursk territory in August had been a significant embarrassment for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking amid growing international pressure, including from the Trump administration to bring an end to the war, Putin framed the retaking of Kursk as a pivotal moment.
“The Kyiv regime’s adventure has utterly failed,” Putin said in a Kremlin-released video, where he was briefed by Russian General Staff chief Valery Gerasimov.
“The complete defeat of the enemy in the Kursk border region creates conditions for further successes by our forces in other key areas of the front,” Putin added.
Thousands of North Korean troops involved, Ukraine claims
Ukrainian officials estimate that North Korea has deployed about 14,000 troops to assist Russian forces.
Although initially ill-equipped with armored vehicles and drone warfare expertise, the North Korean soldiers suffered heavy losses but adapted over time.
Until now, Russia had neither confirmed nor denied the involvement of North Korean forces in the conflict.
Russia’s military ties with North Korea have deepened since Moscow faced global isolation following its invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
Kyiv alleges that North Korea has supplied Russia with artillery shells, rockets, thousands of troops, and ballistic missiles — weaponry Moscow began using against Ukraine at the end of 2023.
Both Moscow and Pyongyang deny violating UN sanctions by transferring weapons.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had hoped that holding Russian territory could strengthen his negotiating position in potential peace talks.
Mr. Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday in Rome, where they attended Pope Francis’s funeral.
According to the White House, the meeting was described as “very productive.” Trump is reportedly pressuring Zelenskyy to consider ceding some Ukrainian territory to help bring an end to the three-year war that has devastated much of Ukraine.
