A manufacturing plant in Russia’s Tatarstan region has significantly scaled up its production of Iranian-designed drones, using a range of Chinese components, and recruiting a low-skilled workforce of Russian teenagers and African women,

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.

The battlefield in Ukraine has taken to the skies, as Russia floods the frontlines with waves of drones. Behind this relentless assault is a secretive factory in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, producing thousands of drones using Iranian designs,

Russia won't say if it mistakenly downed an Azerbaijani plane on Christmas. But it acknowledges the crash came amid a Ukrainian drone attack in its republic of Chechnya.

Industry experts and Ukraine officials are suggesting that Russia likely is to blame for the Azerbaijan plane crash that killed dozens. NBC News' Daniele Hamamdjian reports on the ongoing investigation and what may have caused the crash.

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.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this month that Russia was trying to "conceal losses" of North Korean troops fighting against Ukraine.

Slovakia on Friday confirmed its readiness to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, despite Kyiv's accusation that it is playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Vladimir Putin stated that Robert Fico indicated Slovakia as a potential host for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Putin does not rule out such a solution. Many pieces of information provided by Russian media or government representatives are elements of propaganda.