Radio Svoboda: IAEA financed Russian nuclear research in Crimea. An investigation by Radio Svoboda revealed that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) financed Russian nuclear research in Crimea after the peninsula’s occupation and the start of the full-scale war. Despite this, the IAEA officially recognises Crimea as Ukrainian territory. Internal IAEA documents obtained by Radio Svoboda show that two scientific projects received agency support. One was a 2016 study on pollution trends in the Black Sea, including research in Sevastopol, which the IAEA considers part of Ukraine. Olga Kosharna, a former Ukrainian nuclear regulator, called this a violation of the IAEA’s position on Ukrainian territorial integrity. The project was conducted by Russia’s Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, with the IAEA listed as a sponsor, though financial details were unclear. Another Russian-led project studied bird migration and avian flu, with the IAEA agreeing to pay €60,000. Some samples were collected in Crimea, but it’s unclear if this was pre-approved by the agency. In response, the IAEA stated that it continues to recognise Crimea as Ukrainian, and the projects it funded were purely “technical” in nature.
Trump claims he threatened Putin with a strike on Moscow over Ukraine. Former U.S. president and Republican candidate for the upcoming election, Donald Trump, claimed that he had threatened Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin with a “strike on Moscow over Ukraine.” He made this statement during an interview with editors from The Wall Street Journal. “I said: ‘Vladimir, if you go after Ukraine, I will hit you so hard you won’t even believe it. I’ll strike right in the middle of fricking Moscow.’ I said: ‘We’re friends, I don’t want to do this, but I have no choice,'” Trump recounted. According to the U.S. presidential candidate, Putin reportedly responded with, “No way.” According to Trump, he then answered: “You’re going to be hit so hard, and I’m going to take those domes right off your head.” “Because, you know, he lives under those domes,” Trump added. However, he did not specify when or under what circumstances this conversation with Putin took place. As in previous comments on the matter, Trump noted that he had “excellent relationships” with both the Russian and Chinese leaders, referring to Putin and Xi Jinping.
Russians reportedly detained 18 North Korean soldiers who deserted positions in Kursk. According to Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske, Russian forces have detained 18 North Korean soldiers who deserted their positions in the Kursk region, potentially when engaging in assault operations against Ukrainian troops. This information emerged from Hromadske’s source within Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate. Intelligence reports indicate that approximately 40 North Korean soldiers, upon their arrival in Russia, were tasked with training Russian troops in the use of balloons for military purposes and in return, the Russians instructed their North Korean counterparts in modern infantry tactics. The source noted that after completing their training, the North Korean soldiers were left in a forested area in Kursk for several days without food or clear directives regarding their next steps. As a result, 18 soldiers opted to abandon their positions in search of Russian commanders. However, within two days, on October 16, the missing soldiers were located and detained by Russian forces. They had travelled approximately 60 kilometres from the site of their departure. All 40 North Korean soldiers have since been moved to the Lgov district of the Kursk region, where they are expected to be involved in assault operations.
