French President Emmanuel Macron has left open the possibility of deploying NATO combat troops to Ukraine, stating “all these options are possible.” His comments followed a summit in Paris, against the backdrop of heightened tensions with Russia. Despite Macron’s openness, countries like Germany, Britain, and Poland have hesitated to commit ground troops, aligning with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg’s stance against sending soldiers to the region. The Kremlin has warned that such a move could escalate to a direct clash between Russia and NATO, potentially moving towards a nuclear conflict.

In North Korea, leader Kim Jong-un oversaw air warfare drills as a response to joint military exercises between South Korea and the US, emphasizing the importance of “realistic” combat preparations. Following the end of the Freedom Shield exercises, Kim viewed the joint drills as potential preparations for invasion, urging readiness for various combat conditions. This event highlighted North Korea’s ongoing military activities and close ties with Russia, as illustrated by Kim’s use of a Russian luxury limousine gifted by President Vladimir Putin.

In Russia, amidst a presidential election expected to secure Vladimir Putin a fifth term, a campaign initiated by the late Alexei Navalny called “Noon Against Putin” aims to challenge the election’s legitimacy. Navalny’s plan, continued by his wife Yulia Navalnaya and supported by opposition figures, encourages citizens to vote against Putin as a demonstration of opposition strength. The election process, criticized for its lack of genuine opposition, is being conducted under tight control, including in regions of Ukraine under Russian control.

Simultaneously, a reported Ukrainian shelling in the city of Belgorod near the Ukrainian border resulted in two fatalities and three injuries, increasing tensions during the Russian presidential election period. Russia also claimed to have foiled a Ukrainian saboteur attempt to cross the border. Amidst this backdrop of conflict and allegations, an attack on a Russian oil refinery by a Ukrainian drone was reported, paralleling a destructive Russian assault on the port city of Odesa, to which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed a “just response.”