18-story building catches fire in Kyiv; Zelensky warns of Russian mobilization; Tokayev proposes freezing war

A fire broke out on the 7th and 8th floors of an 18-story residential building in Kyiv's Shevchenkivskyi district following a Russian attack overnight Saturday, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported. He also said debris caused a fire in a non-residential area in Solomianskyi district, and cars and parking lots caught fire in Desnianskyi district.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, citing intelligence, stated that Russian authorities plan to expand mobilization in autumn 2026. He also claimed that since June, Russia has been preparing in the Voronezh region to receive 30,000 North Korean soldiers. Zelensky said Russian President Vladimir Putin is "preparing to take new Russians to war," disguising it with other words. He urged partners to pressure Russia so that thoughts of peace, not additional mobilization, dominate. Zelensky added that North Korea is ready to provide Russia with new ballistic missile launchers, calling the military cooperation a threat to all regions within reach of North Korean missiles. He explained this by saying Russia is helping North Korea "learn war."

Meanwhile, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, during talks with Putin in Omsk on Saturday, proposed freezing the war in Ukraine. Tokayev noted that no one knows how to resolve the situation due to the parties' positions, but suggested freezing the conflict and returning to the Istanbul formula 2.0. He said he receives many signals from Europe and the US, but Kazakhstan refuses to mediate peace. Tokayev stressed that his country always respects the Ukrainian people and that the nature of the conflict is not fully understood by many.

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that given Kyiv's position, freezing is impossible. He stated that Russia must achieve its goals and that everything could stop immediately if the Kyiv regime makes appropriate decisions.