Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, warned that North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia are expected to soon engage in combat against Ukrainian forces. This statement was made during his visit to Fiji. Meanwhile, Ukraine is requesting advanced air defense systems from Western allies after a recent Russian hypersonic missile strike. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that discussions are ongoing with partners for this support. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin ordered the mass production of the hypersonic missile Orechnik, emphasizing its continued testing in combat situations.