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A Russian drone crashed into a residential building in eastern Kyiv, killing six people and injuring dozens more, as part of a larger wave of strikes across the Ukrainian capital. Ukraine responded by launching drone strikes on Russia's oil infrastructure, including a major export terminal in Novorossiysk. The attacks on both sides resulted in significant damage and casualties, with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky condemning Russia's actions as 'vile and calculated'.

The article reports on North Korean troops clearing mines in Russia's Kursk region, a sign of deepening military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. New images released by Russia's defense ministry show North Korean soldiers handling detection equipment, receiving instructions from Russian engineers, and singing patriotic songs. The deployment follows last year's fighting that helped repel a Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region. Reports suggest that North Korea sent around 14,000 troops under a mutual defense pact, with over 6,000 casualties, although these numbers cannot be independently verified. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that out of up to 12,000 North Koreans sent to support Russia's war effort, their losses are more than 4,000. The Russian defense ministry claims that North Korean engineers received extensive training from Russian instructors to handle NATO and Ukrainian mines and counter drones.

Two senior Ukrainian officials, Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk, have resigned amid a corruption probe into a $100 million kickback scheme linked to the state-owned nuclear power company Energoatom. The investigation, code-named 'Midas', was led by Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. The alleged corruption scheme involved a high-level criminal organization that received illicit benefits from Energoatom's contractors. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has supported the investigation and pledged to impose sanctions on individuals implicated in the case. The scandal has raised concerns about Ukraine's stability and its impact on aid from European and American partners, particularly during Russia's ongoing attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.