In an interview with BBC published on October 23, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko stated that the involvement of North Korean forces in Russia’s full scale war against Ukraine was “a step toward escalation”.
Lukashenko, speaking on the sidelines at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, dismissed reports that North Korea sent soldiers to help Russia’s war effort. He called them “rubbish.”
“Knowing Vladimir Putin’s character, he would never try to convince another country to include its army in Russia’s special operation in Ukraine,” said he.
“It would be a move towards the escalation if the armed services of any country were on the front line, even Belarus.”
According to Lukashenko the West could respond by deploying NATO forces in Ukraine.
“Even if you got involved in a war, this would be a road to escalation. Why? “Because you, the AngloSaxons, would immediately claim that another country was involved on one side… Nato troops would then be deployed to Ukraine.”
Belarus, an ally to Russia, has not directly participated in the conflict, but it has allowed the Kremlin use its territory as an staging ground for its offensive against Ukraine.
Kyrylo Budanov (HUR), head of Ukraine’s Military Intelligence, said that the first North Korean unit was expected to arrive in Kursk Oblast by October 23. Ukraine began a border incursion in August, and still controls large areas of territory.
Budanov had said earlier in October that the first group of soldiers would be 2,600.
On October 23, Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin confirmed that North Korean soldiers were in Russia, without providing any details on their number or tasks.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Russia, said that two brigades of North Koreans with a combined strength of 6,000 are currently being trained in Russia. According to military intelligence some North Korean officers have already been in the occupied territory of Ukraine, he stated on October 17.
North Korea has denied these reports, and a Kremlin spokeswoman gave a vague answer.
During the full-scale invasion there were many reports of Russian soldiers executing Ukrainian POWs, but the number of such incidents has increased dramatically in the last year.
Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian dictator, said in an interview to BBC that he knew Putin’s character and that he would never try to convince another country to send its army to… Ukraine.
Politico reported that anonymous officials said that Belgium, Slovenia, Spain, and other countries are reluctant to invite Ukraine to join NATO.
John Kirby, the spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, also revealed details about U.S. intelligence assessment. Washington believes that North Korea “moved a minimum of 3000 soldiers into Eastern Russia.”
This includes 1,240 casualties that Russian forces have suffered in the last day.
On Oct. 21, the Basmanny district of Moscow sentenced Ukrainian filmmaker Alexander Rodnyansky to 8 and half years in absence for “spreading false information” about Russian Army.
German magazine Wirtschaftswoche reported that German Finance Minister Christian Lindner proposed reevaluating legal status for Ukrainian refugees.
“Kremniy EL”, one of the largest microelectronics factories in Russia, produces components that are widely used in Russian defence production. These include Pantsir air-defense systems and Iskander rocket systems.
Yevhen Perebyinis, Deputy Foreign Ministry, wrote to cabinet ministers in a letter dated Oct. 23, warning that the European Union had informed Ukraine that the next tranche (4 billion euros) of the EU’s Ukraine Facility could be delayed until the following year if the expected aspects of the corruption reforms were not completed by the end this month.
Ukrainska Pravda, citing the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, reported on October 23 that Roman Hladkyi was dismissed just months after he was appointed to his controversial position in August 2024.
Belarus’ Central Electoral Commission, which announced the date on October 23, has set its next presidential elections for January 26, 2025. The incumbent Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who is currently in power, is widely expected to remain in power following the results of the election.
Daleep Singh is the White House’s deputy national security advisor for international economics. He said that Joe Biden intends to divide the funds between helping Ukraine’s economy and its military.
The statement read: “The next step will be advanced fast jet training with partner nations and conversion to F-16.”
“The situation in Toretsk is relatively stable.” “We (Ukrainian Forces) are now holding our line unchanged,” Anastasiia Bobbyvnikova, spokesperson for the Operational Tactical Group Luhansk said.
Park Sun-won is a member of the parliamentary intelligence committee. He said that signs of troops being trained in North Korea had been detected between September and October.
The 24-hour “I Want to Live”, hotline launched by Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence in September 2022, helps Russian soldiers willingly surrender to the Ukrainian Army.
Ivan Petrychak of the 24th Mechanized Brigade press service had said on national TV that the Russian military had breached the defenses, but there was no sign of a possible loss of the city.
According to reports, the secret clause allowed North Korea to send its first 1,000 soldiers to Ukraine in order to gain military training. The source told the WSJ that more North Korean troops will be deployed.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com