A soldier who defected from Russia's notorious mercenary army has slammed military leaders who left troops to "rot in the fields". The Wagner soldier, named as Yevgeny, has reportedly defected to Finland after fighting as part of Russia 's new assault forces in Ukraine.

"As a result of the explosion, a satellite communication hardware station—intended by Russian military leadership to coordinate occupying forces—was also destroyed," Ukraine's military intelligence said.

When Ukraine turned a corner of Russia’s Kursk region into a battlefield, it set in motion some of the war’s fiercest fighting. Our photographer documented the aftermath.

Russia has amassed about 50,000 troops along Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast, three times the size of Kyiv’s forces in the key region — with Moscow preparing its latest push along the frontlines