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Modi visits Indian-administered Kashmir on local election campaign amid massive security

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Modi visits Indian-administered Kashmir on local election campaign amid massive security

Srinagar, India (AP) — In a significant move ahead of local elections, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Indian-administered Kashmir today, reinforcing his party’s presence in the region. The visit comes amid heightened security measures, with authorities deploying thousands of personnel to ensure safety during the campaign activities.

Modi’s visit to Srinagar city in the Kashmir Valley — the heartland of decades of anti-India rebellion — comes amid strong public opposition there to New Delhi’s changes five years back. That move revoked the region’s semi-autonomous status, annulled its separate constitution, downgraded and split the former state into two centrally governed union territories— Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir — and removed inherited protections on land and jobs.

RELATED NEWS : PM Modi visits Kashmir for the first time since revoking region’s semi-autonomy

The region has since remained on edge with civil liberties curbed and media freedoms gagged.

Authorities laid razor wires and erected road checkpoints to close the roads leading to the venue of Modi’s election rally in Srinagar’s main commercial center. Armed paramilitary troops and police in flak jackets patrolled the area, snipers and sharpshooters were positioned atop buildings near the venue.

The multistage election will allow Kashmir to have its own truncated government and a local legislature, called an assembly, instead of remaining under New Delhi’s direct rule.

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Supporters of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend an election rally in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Kashmir has been at the heart of a conflict between India and Pakistan after British rule of the subcontinent ended in 1947 with the creation of the two rival countries. Both administer part of it but claim the territory in its entirety.

Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi’s rule since 1989. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

India insists the insurgency is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, a charge Islamabad denies. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the fighting, which many Kashmiri Muslims consider a legitimate freedom struggle.

India’s ruling BJP has a strong political base in the region’s Hindu-dominated areas of Jammu that largely favor the 2019 changes and has won multiple seats from there in the past elections. But it is weak in the Kashmir Valley where the BJP has never won a seat.

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses an election rally in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

The party has fielded only 19 candidates for the 47 seats in the valley while it is contesting all 43 seats in Jammu.

Modi’s party is not officially aligned with any local group, but many politicians believe it is tacitly supporting some parties and independent candidates in the Kashmir Valley who privately agree with it.

The region’s main pro-India political parties accused the BJP of trying to manipulate the election and fragment the valley’s vote through independents. About 43% of 503 candidates contesting in the Kashmir Valley are independents, in contrast to 35% in Jammu.

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Floods in Central Europe threaten new areas. Heavy rains also inundate parts of Italy

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Floods in Central Europe threaten new areas. Heavy rains also inundate parts of Italy

Warsaw, Poland (DT/AP) — A massive flood wave moving across Central Europe threatened new areas after claiming 24 lives, raising concerns among residents and officials and prompting European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen to plan a visit to the region Thursday.

Heavy rains also caused flooding and evacuation of some 1,000 people in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. In Central Europe, the receding waters revealed the scale of the destruction caused by exceptionally heavy rains that began a week ago.

RELATED NEWS : Central Europe faces more deadly flooding, Poland declares disaster, death toll may rise

Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said one more person was reported killed on Thursday in the country’s hard-hit northeast, bringing the death toll there to five. There were also seven deaths each in Poland and Romania, and five in Austria — with the overall death toll in the affected countries now at 24.

Authorities deployed troops to help. In the northeastern Czech Republic, soldiers joined firefighters and other emergency crews to help with the recovery efforts. Army helicopters distributed humanitarian aid while soldiers were building temporary bridges in place of those swept away.

Some 400 people remained in evacuation centers in the regional capital of Ostrava, unable to return home. In the southwest, near the border with Austria, the water level of the Luznice River reached an extreme level but the evacuation of 1,000 people in the town of Veseli nad Luznici was not necessary for the moment, officials said.

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People watch the Danube river as it floods it’s banks in central Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Cleanup efforts were also underway in Austria, where flooding washed away roads and led to landslides and bridge damage. Firefighters and soldiers pumped water and mud out of houses and disposed of damaged furniture, broadcaster ORF quoted fire department spokesperson Klaus Stebal as saying.

The governor of Lower Austria province, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, said reconstruction was expected to take years, according to the Austria Press Agency.

The Vienna public transport company has had to pump almost a million liters (260,000 gallons) of water since last weekend.

Ten towns and areas were still inaccessible on Thursday, APA reported.

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A view of a damaged house after recent floods near Pisecna, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

In Hungary, flood waters continued to rise Thursday as authorities closed roads and rail stations. Ferries along the Danube River halted. In the capital, Budapest, water spilled over the city’s lower quays and threatened to reach tram and metro lines. Some transport services were suspended.

Further upriver, in a region known as the Danube Bend, homes and restaurants near the riverbanks were inundated as officials and volunteers continued to place sandbags to reinforce levees.

Nearly 6,000 professionals, including members of Hungary’s water authority and military, were mobilized, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at a news conference Thursday. Inmates from prisons were also mobilized to help fill sandbags, Orbán said.

The Danube rose and by Thursday morning stood at 771 centimeters, approaching the 891-centimeter record set during major flooding in 2013.

Rivers flooded in three of the region’s provinces — Ravenna, Bologna and Forlì-Cesena — as local mayors asked people to stay on the upper floors or leave their houses. Those areas had been already hit by devastating floods in May 2023, when more than 20 rivers overflowed, killing 17 people and causing billions of euros in damages.

Italy’s vice minister for transport and infrastructure, Galeazzo Bignami, said at a news conference Thursday that two people were reported missing in Bagnocavallo, in the Ravenna province.

At least 800 residents in Ravenna and almost 200 in Bologna province spent the night in shelters, schools and sports centers as local rivers overflowed.

Trains were suspended and schools closed while residents have been advised to avoid travel and work from home where possible.

Associated Press writers Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary, Karel Janicek in Prague and Giada Zampano in Rome contributed to this report.

Top Russian lawmaker warns West of nuclear war over Ukraine

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Top Russian lawmaker warns West of nuclear war over Ukraine

Moscow, Russia (Reuters) – A senior Russian lawmaker on Thursday said that Ukrainian strikes on Russia with Western missiles would lead to global war with the use of nuclear weapons and that Moscow’s response would be tough with more powerful weapons.

Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s Duma, the lower house of parliament, said that if the West gave permission for such strikes deep into Russian territory then it would lead to a “global war with the use of nuclear weapons.”

RELATED NEWS : Ukrainian drones strike a major military depot in a Russian town northwest of Moscow

“Russia will give a tough response using more powerful weapons,” said Volodin, an ally of President Vladimir Putin who often gives insights into thinking at the top levels of the Kremlin.

He was responding to a European Parliament vote in favour of letting Kyiv hit Russian targets with Western weapons.
Volodin said it appeared to Moscow that the West had forgotten the vast sacrifices made by the Soviet Union in World War Two.

He said Europeans should understand that it would take Russia’s RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, known as Satan II by some, just 3 minutes and 20 seconds to strike Strasbourg.

The Ukraine war has triggered the biggest confrontation between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis – which is considered to be the time when the two Cold War superpowers came closest to intentional nuclear war.

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Israeli shell company behind explosive pagers used by Hezbollah – NYT

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Israeli shell company behind explosive pagers used by Hezbollah – NYT

Beirut, Lebanon (DT) – According to a report by the New York Times on Thursday, BAC Consulting, a Hungary-based pager manufacturer responsible for the devices that exploded in Lebanon on Tuesday, is believed to be an Israeli shell company, as indicated by three intelligence officers.

The officers also revealed that two additional shell companies were established to obscure the identities of those involved in producing the pagers.

RELATED NEWS : Exploding pagers in attack on Hezbollah were made by a Hungarian company, another firm says

The report detailed that while BAC Consulting did manufacture standard pagers for various clients, the devices made for Hezbollah were produced separately and included batteries infused with explosives.

The report indicates that the pagers were initially delivered to Lebanon in a small batch in 2022.

After a speech by Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, in which he condemned cellphones as “agents” of Israel and encouraged the increased use of pagers, operatives from the Lebanese terrorist organization reportedly placed additional orders for the BAC-manufactured devices.

Nasrallah Bans Cell Phone Use

Additionally, three defense officials revealed that Nasrallah has mandated that Hezbollah officers carry pagers at all times, prohibiting cell phones during organization meetings. He reportedly instructed officers not to share any details regarding Hezbollah’s movements and plans through cell phones.

Since his address, there has been a marked increase in pager shipments to Lebanon, with thousands reportedly arriving and being distributed to Hezbollah officers and their associates, according to two American intelligence officials cited by the New York Times.

While Hezbollah views these devices as a defensive tool, the NYT noted, Israeli intelligence has characterized them as “buttons” that could be activated at strategic moments, which appears to have been on Tuesday. According to multiple reports, the pagers were set to beep, prompting their owners to see what message Hezbollah’s command sent, only to explode a few seconds later, sowing chaos across Lebanon.

Hezbollah reported that at least eight of its fighters were killed, with more noncombatants also being killed and wounded.

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North Korea tests new ballistic missiles with super-large warhead, KCNA says

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North Korea tests new ballistic missiles with super-large warhead, KCNA says

Seoul, South Korea (DT/KT) – North Korea claimed Thursday it has successfully test-fired a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a super-large warhead, a day after South Korea said Pyongyang fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles.

The new missile, named the Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5, was tipped with a 4.5-ton super-large conventional warhead in the test-firing conducted Wednesday by the North’s Missile Administration, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

RELATED NEWS : South Korea’s President Yoon Holds Final Summit with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida

“Its test-fire was aimed at verifying the accuracy of hit at medium range of 320 kilometers and explosive power of the super-large warhead with a missile loaded with such a warhead,” the KCNA said.

The KCNA said the missile administration also conducted a test-fire of a strategic cruise missile whose performance has been highly upgraded for its combat use.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Wednesday it detected multiple short-range ballistic missile launches at about 6:50 a.m. from the North’s Kaechon area in South Phyongan Province, north of Pyongyang, and the missiles flew about 400 kilometers.

The launches came after the North claimed to have test-fired the Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5 with a simulated warhead on July 1 to verify its performance at its maximum and minimum ranges.

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This picture shows a test-firing of a tactical ballistic missile in North Korea, in this photo provided by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, Sept. 19. Photo : KCNP via Yonhap

It said it would conduct another test at its medium range the same month, but it apparently did not take place at the time.

The JCS said Thursday it had detected both the ballistic and cruise missile launches the previous day, and the missiles disclosed by the North’s state media landed in a mountainous area in North Korea’s northeastern province of North Hamgyong.

Photos released by the KCNA showed a missile hitting an apparent inland target, marking the first public disclosure of its kind by the North, which has usually fired missiles into waters off its eastern and western coasts.

South Korea’s military has immediately notified the media of North Korean ballistic missile launches, which are in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, but has disclosed cruise missile launches depending on the threat they pose to the South.

When asked about the North’s report of the missile’s range of 320 km compared with its assessment of about 400 km, the JCS stood by its analysis, clarifying it is based on the trajectory of the missile that covered the longer distance.

“North Korea revealed that it flew some 320 km, but we believe there is a possibility of deception,” Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson of the JCS, told a regular briefing.

A super-large warhead is among a list of high-tech weapons that Kim had vowed to develop at a party congress in 2021, including a spy military satellite and solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles.

In June, the North claimed it had successfully conducted a multiple warhead missile test, but South Korea’s military at the time dismissed it as “deception,” saying the launch ended in failure as the missile exploded in midair.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un guided the test-fires and expressed great satisfaction, it said.

“The military and political situation in the region threatening the present state security environment indicates that the work for bolstering up the military capability for self-defence should be the most important affair of the country,” he said.

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AAP MLA Bandana Kumari Visits Local Area with Department Officials

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AAP MLA Bandana Kumari Visits Local Area with Department Officials
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AHSAN ANSARI

Diplomat Times

New Delhi, India (DT) – On Wednesday, Bandana Kumari, the MLA of Shalimar Bagh, visited RU Block in Pitampura alongside officials from various departments, as well as representatives from the Resident Welfare Association (RWA).

During the visit, Kumari listened to residents’ concerns and directed officials to address their issues promptly. She noted that ongoing construction work related to the Delhi Metro has led to severe blockages in the drains of RU Block, causing significant problems for local residents. The MLA urged Delhi Metro officials to take immediate action to resolve these issues.

The visit aimed to assess community needs and address pressing issues affecting residents. During the tour, Kumari engaged with locals, listened to their concerns, and discussed potential solutions with department heads.

This initiative underscores the Aam Aadmi Party’s commitment to grassroots engagement and responsive governance. Further updates on the outcomes of the visit are expected as officials begin to formulate action plans based on the feedback received.

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NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh Warns Uncertain Election Timing After Ending Agreement with Trudeau

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NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh Warns Uncertain Election Timing After Ending Agreement with Trudeau

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (DT/AP) — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has issued a warning about the uncertain timing of the next federal election after the party’s decision to end its agreement with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. Singh stated that the termination of the pact could lead to significant shifts in political strategy and dynamics in Parliament.

He emphasized that while the NDP remains committed to its goals, the lack of a formal arrangement with the Liberals raises questions about future legislative priorities and collaboration. Political experts suggest that this development could pave the way for an earlier-than-expected election, leaving Canadians poised for potential changes in the political landscape.

RELATED NEWS : Canadian opposition party ends support agreement with Prime Minister Trudeau’s Liberals

During a news conference in Toronto on Thursday, Singh acknowledged that his surprise decision to pull support from the supply and confidence agreement could move up the date of Canada’s next general election, expected to be held in October 2025.

“I ripped up the supply and confidence agreement with Justin Trudeau, and we know that makes the election timing more uncertain,” Singh said.

Singh declined to provide a specific timeline about when he could vote against the Liberals in a no-confidence vote.

“I will look at any vote that comes before us and we will make a decision in the best interests of Canadians, as any minority government normally operates,” he said.

The Liberals currently have 154 seats in the 338 Canadian House of Commons. The Conservates hold 119 and the NDP 24. The Bloc Québécois, a party based only in Quebec and devoted to Quebec sovereignty, has 32 seats.

Singh and Trudeau reached the supply and confidence agreement in March 2022, committing the Liberals to implement several NDP priorities such as dental care and pharmacare in exchange for the NDP caucus supporting the Liberals on key votes.

Sanjay Jeram, a political science professor at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., said the agreement always “had more bark than bite” and didn’t give the NDP any official representation in the federal government, like some coalitions in other countries.

Most polls show the Conservatives well ahead of the Liberals with the NDP sitting third, making it difficult to see what the New Democrats could gain from a quick election.

“Where the polls are now, there is no realistic option of them forming government,” said Jeram. “It’s hard to really understand what they’re aiming for,” he said, adding, “Do they want to become the official opposition?”

Jeram said there may be concerns in the party that the Conservatives have been trying to appeal to working class voters, which could drain away support from the centre-left NDP. An early election may halt this erosion of support.

Libby Davies, who spent 18 years as an NDP member of Parliament, said ending the agreement puts pressure on the Liberals.

“Will it increase the likelihood of an election sooner? That’s part of the risk,” said Davies. “It’s the tension of a potential election that keeps the Liberals on their toes and allows the NDP to have a lot more leverage.”

With the Liberals trailing badly in the polls, and Trudeau very unpopular, she doubts they want an election.

“I don’t think they want an election right now,” she said. “It really puts the pressure on the Liberals to decide; are they going to listen to whatever demands come from the NDP?”

In a campaign style speech, Singh criticized both Trudeau and Poilievre.

“Justin Trudeau has let Canadians down,” said Singh. “Trudeau’s Liberals can’t deliver change. They are too weak and too selfish to stop Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives.”

As for the Conservatives, Singh accused them of wanting to reduce health care benefits and encourage corporate greed.

“Conservative cuts would take things from bad to worse,” he said.

He pitched the NDP as the party of hope.

“There’s a battle ahead of us, the fight for the Canda of our dreams,” said Singh. “The fight to restore hope and the promise that working hard gets you a good life.”

Davies, the former member of parliament, said if the NDP forces an early election they must explain their reasoning.

“Mr. Singh needs to present an NDP vision and what that looks like for the country,” she said. “The longer he (was) tied to that agreement, the harder it is in some ways because all the good things that happened, the Liberals will take credit for.”

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Another wave of explosions shook Lebanon today, day after pager attack on Hezbollah

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Another wave of explosions shook Lebanon today, day after pager attack on Hezbollah

Beirut, Lebanon (DT/AP) — Lebanon experienced another wave of explosions today, just one day after a targeted pager attack on Hezbollah.

Israel’s defense minister has declared the start of a “new phase” of the war as Israel turns its focus toward the northern front against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

Speaking to Israeli troops on Wednesday, Yoav Gallant made no mention of the mysterious explosions of electronic devices in Lebanon in recent days. But he praised the work of Israel’s army and security agencies, saying “the results are very impressive.”

RELATED NEWS : Exploding pagers in attack on Hezbollah were made by a Hungarian company, another firm says

He said that after months of war against Hamas militants in Gaza, “the center of gravity is shifting to the north by diverting resources and forces.”

“We are at the start of a new phase in the war — it requires courage, determination and perseverance,” he said.

Explosions went off in Beirut and multiple parts of Lebanon in an apparent second wave of detonations of electronic devices, Hezbollah officials and state media said Wednesday, reporting walkie-talkies and even solar equipment being targeted a day after hundreds of pagers blew up. At least nine people were killed and 300 were wounded, the Health Ministry said.

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Lebanese security officers standı next ofapartly damaged cara afters whati is believed to be ther result ofs a walkie- talkiee exploding inside it, in the s southern port city of S sidon, Lebanon, Wednesday,- Sept 18, 2024. (AP Phot o Mothammed Zaatari) 

Several blasts were heard at the funeral in Beirut for three Hezbollah members and a child killed by exploding pagers the day before, according to Associated Press journalists at the scene. An AP photographer in the southern coastal city of Sidon saw a car and a mobile phone shop damaged after devices exploded inside of them.

A Hezbollah official told the AP that walkie-talkies used by the group exploded. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Lebanon’s official news agency reports that solar energy systems exploded in homes in several areas of Beirut and in southern Lebanon, wounding at least one girl.

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Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Algerian President Takes Oath for Second Term

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Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Algerian President Takes Oath for Second Term

Algiers, Algeria (DT/APS) — President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has been inaugurated for a second term after winning a landslide election, securing 84% of the vote in a poll marked by voter apathy and concerns about the transparency of the vote count.

Tebboune expressed gratitude to the Algerian people for their confidence in him and announced plans to consult broadly with various political parties. He aims to initiate a national dialogue and develop a comprehensive roadmap for Algeria’s progress in multiple sectors.

RELATED NEWS : Wildfires in Algeria kill at least 34 and injure hundreds but 80% now extinguished, officials say

Amnesty International has criticized his leadership for maintaining a strict stance against dissent and curtailing civic freedoms. His government has faced ongoing condemnation for its human rights record since he first took office in 2019, following the resignation of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika amid a political crisis.

Last Saturday, the Constitutional Court announced the final results of the September 7, 2024 presidential election, won by Abdelmadjid Tebboune with 84.30% of the votes cast.

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Ukrainian drones strike a major military depot in a Russian town northwest of Moscow

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Ukrainian drones strike a major military depot in a Russian town northwest of Moscow

Kyiv, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian drones struck a large military depot in a town deep inside Russia overnight, causing a huge blaze and prompting the evacuation of some local residents, a Ukrainian official and Russian news reports said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a senior U.S. diplomat said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said he has a plan for winning the war that “can work” and help end the conflict, which is now in its third year. But the Ukrainian leader hasn’t publicly spelled out the plan.

REALTED NEWS : US and UK pledge almost $1.5 billion to help Ukraine during diplomats’ visit to Kyiv

Ukraine claimed the strike destroyed Russian military warehouses in Toropets, a town in Russia’s Tver region about 380 kilometers (240 miles) northwest of Moscow and about 500 kilometers (300 miles) from the border with Ukraine.

The attack was carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service, along with Ukraine’s Intelligence and Special Operations Forces, a Kyiv security official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the operation.

According to the official, the depot housed Iskander and Tochka-U missiles, as well as glide bombs and artillery shells. He said the facility caught fire in the strike and was burning across an area 6 kilometers (4 miles) wide.

Among the destroyed ammunition were North Korean KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles, another official, in Ukraine’s Intelligence Office, told The AP. He was not authorized to comment publicly and didn’t provide evidence to support his claim.

Russia and North Korea signed a landmark pact last June that envisioned mutual military assistance between Moscow and Pyongyang.

More than 100 domestically-produced kamikaze drones were deployed in the attack on the depot, the Ukrainian Intelligence Office official added.

Russian state news agency RIA Novosti quoted regional authorities as saying air defense systems were working to repel a “massive drone attack” on Toropets, which has a population of around 11,000. The agency also reported a fire and the evacuation of some local residents.

There was no immediate information about whether the strikes had caused any casualties.

Successful Ukrainian strikes on targets deep inside Russia have become more common as the war has progressed and Kyiv developed its drone technology.

Zelenskyy is also seeking approval from Western nations for Ukraine to use the sophisticated weapons they are providing to hit targets inside Russia. Some Western leaders have balked at that possibility, fearing they could be dragged into the conflict.

Ukraine’s targeting of Russian military equipment, ammunition and infrastructure deep inside Russia, as well as making Russian civilians feel some of the consequences of the war that is being fought largely inside Ukraine, is part of Kyiv’s strategy.

On Tuesday, Putin ordered the country’s military to increase its number of troops by 180,000 to a total of 1.5 million by Dec. 1.

Zelenskyy last month said his plan for victory includes not only battlefield goals but also diplomatic and economic wins. The plan has been kept under wraps but the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said during a news conference Tuesday that Washington officials have seen it.

“We think it lays out a strategy and a plan that can work,” she said, adding that the United States will bring it up with other world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly in New York next week. She did not comment on what the plan contained.

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