SLOUCHING TOWARD WORLD WAR THREE: US says 8,000 North Korean soldiers to begin combat operations in war with Ukraine ‘in coming days.’ “The secretary said that of the 10,000 North Korean soldiers believed to have been sent to Russia for training, 80% of that force is now in the Kursk region, where Ukraine first launched an incursion in August.”

Meanwhile, back in North Korea: Satellite images show North Korea dug large border trenches after demolishing road, rail links. “Work on the trenches appears to have begun shortly after North Korea staged choreographed demolitions of a road near Kaesong, a western North Korean border city, and a combined road and rail section near the Koreas’ eastern border on Oct. 15. In Planet Labs images examined by the Associated Press, the first sign of the trenches appeared on Oct. 17, after cloud cover blocked the view for the four previous days.”

The satellite photo shows more than just a simple trench. It looks like a serious defensive position.