Russian forces ordered to forgo prisoners, escalating tensions

"The enemy has ordered its units not to take Ukrainian soldiers as prisoners," Wong said on state television. Issuing such an order constitutes a violation of the provisions of the Geneva Convention. There have already been previous instances of executions of Ukrainian soldiers, which are under investigation by Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. The order indicates that the Russians are prioritising spreading terror and killing Ukrainians in combat.

The spokesperson also emphasised that in the Kursk region, where the 1st Separate Siversk Tank Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is engaged, Russian forces are conducting active attacks using armoured vehicles.

Wong praised the brigade's infantry, which maintains its positions despite challenging operational conditions in the unit's area of responsibility.

"We know that they (Russian forces - ed. note) are trying to use their infantry. When the assaults begin, we immediately target enemy personnel and equipment. Each of our operations is a coordinated effort involving our tank operators, artillery, and drone operators," explained Wong.

Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War reported that Russian troops have recently advanced in the Hlushkiv region near Kursk, as well as near Pokrovske and Vuhledar.

Furthermore, soldiers from North Korea are reported to have already arrived in the fighting area of the Kursk region. "Each day of this war shows that Moscow is determined to continue its aggression. They want nothing more," stated Volodymyr Zelensky, commenting on these reports. "Therefore, within a few days, their soldiers may find themselves on the battlefield against Ukraine, and we might be forced to fight North Korea in Europe," he added.