Volodymyr Zelensky warns of a further escalation of the war in Ukraine.Bild: keystone
21.10.2024, 10:2021.10.2024, 10:29
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj sees military cooperation between Russia and North Korea as a new escalation in Moscow’s war of aggression against his country. «We have to react and take countermeasures. We must not allow evil to continue to grow,” said Zelensky in his evening video message. “If the world stays silent now and we are confronted with North Korean soldiers on the front just as regularly as we defend ourselves against drones, that will benefit no one in this world and will only prolong this war.”
Moscow has been rejecting reports from Ukraine and South Korea, which also rely on satellite images, for days about the dispatch of up to 12,000 soldiers from North Korea to neighboring Russia. There is also no confirmation from NATO or the USA that North Korea has sent soldiers to Russia as reinforcements.
However, Russia and North Korea have not only agreed on close military cooperation, but also on assistance in the event of external attacks. Therefore, North Korean soldiers could be used to defend the Russian Kursk region, which was attacked by Ukrainian troops. The Ukrainian army has been occupying dozens of locations in the Kursk area since the beginning of August in order to counter the Russian invaders’ own conquests in their war of aggression.
Warning of “dangerous cooperation”
Zelensky spoke of a “vicious alliance” and “dangerous cooperation” between Russia and North Korea. “Unfortunately, instability and threats could increase significantly once North Korea learns the tactics of modern warfare,” he emphasized. Ukraine’s allies must have an answer ready because another state is now participating in the war and this is becoming a new threat. So far, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has primarily relied on the neighboring Ukrainian state of Belarus as a staging area for his war.
The war must be ended justly and as quickly as possible, said Zelensky. He once again accused Iran of being in a “criminal alliance” with Russia to supply drones for the war against his country. Since the beginning of the year, Ukraine has counted more than 6,000 drone attacks. The Ukrainians have been defending themselves against the Russian war of aggression with Western military aid for almost 1,000 days.
South Korea summons Russian ambassador
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry has meanwhile summoned the Russian ambassador to Seoul. At the meeting, Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun conveyed to diplomat Georgy Zinoviev his regrets about sending North Korean soldiers to Russia, Yonhap news agency reported.
Zinoviev did not comment to journalists present after the meeting at the Foreign Ministry. On Friday, South Korea’s secret service NIS (National Intelligence Service) accused the North Korean army of having already sent around 1,500 soldiers to support Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
The South Korean secret service publishes satellite images that are supposed to prove the troop transfer.Image: South Korea secret service
According to the NIS, the soldiers were transported in Russian ships to Vladivostok, where they are presumably being prepared for deployment in the Ukraine war. In total, North Korea is said to have decided to send around 12,000 soldiers to support it, including special units.
The soldiers from North Korea are said to have been brought to Vladivostok by ship.Image: South Korea secret service
As the NIS further reported, the soldiers were to be given Russian uniforms and false identities in order to conceal their true origins. The secret service bases its information on satellite images and facial recognition software, which was used in collaboration with the Ukrainian secret service.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol spoke of a serious security threat “not only for our country, but also for the international community.”
NATO warns of escalation
NATO is concerned about the possible involvement of North Korean troops in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
Mark Rutte has not yet confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops.Bild: keystone
“If North Korea sends troops to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine, this would represent a significant escalation,” said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte after a conversation with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Rutte said on Friday after a defense ministerial meeting of the alliance states in Brussels that it was not yet possible to confirm that North Korean soldiers were actively involved in the hostilities. (sda/dpa)
(sda/dpa)
This might also interest you:
