Ukraine’s seven-month incursion into Russia’s Kursk region made history as the first foreign military occupation of Russian soil since World War II. What began as a bold raid evolved into a prolonged and costly effort to hold territory under relentless Russian and North Korean attacks.

Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to Kursk to oust Ukrainian forces and provided Moscow’s army with artillery shells and missiles.

When Ukraine turned a corner of Russia’s Kursk region into a battlefield, it set in motion some of the war’s fiercest fighting. Our photographer documented the aftermath.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said North Korea has affirmed its “clear support” for Russia’s war in Ukraine and for Kremlin leadership as he started a three-day visit to Pyongyang.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offered Moscow his full support for its war in Ukraine during talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Pyongyang state media said Sunday. The talks were

North Korea is believed to have provided around 28,000 containers containing weapons and artillery shells to date

Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has emphasised the restoration of positions and regaining the territories in Russia's Kursk and Belgorod oblasts in order to restrain the Russians on the border with Ukraine.

North Korea's renewed military support for Russia comes as US President Donald Trump has resumed military supplies to Ukraine, after a brief hiatus. Trump told NBC News on Thursday that he had made a deal with Nato for the US to send Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine via the alliance, after a surge of Russian aerial attacks.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia fired more than 700 attack and decoy drones at Ukraine overnight, topping previous nightly barrages for the third time in two weeks, part of Moscow’s intensifying aerial and ground assault in the three-year war, Ukrainian officials said Wednesday.

In the Kursk region, on July 12, they said goodbye to five-year-old Tolya, who covered his mother with himself during a drone strike by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.