US says it has proof of North Korean presence in Ukraine, new head of EU diplomacy wants to “strengthen security”: the 973rd day of war
After criticism from Kyiv and Seoul against a alleged military cooperation between North Korea and Russiathe United States of America announced this Wednesday that it will have proof of the presence of North Korean forces on Russian soil, warning that a possible participation of North Korean troops in the invasion of Ukraine would be “very, very serious”.
In Rome, at a meeting of G7 Defense Ministers, US Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that “there are troops from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in Russia” (making a point of using the country’s formal name), and indicated that “there are things that need to be clarified” before further decisions are made.
US confirmation comes after Ukraine and South Korea were very dissatisfied with the military rapprochement between the Moscow and Pyongyang regimes. On Friday last week, intelligence in Seoul indicated that at least 1,500 soldiers from the North had been sent to Russia to be trained in the Ukrainian climate. And, cited by The Guardianseveral deputies on South Korea’s parliamentary security affairs committee said that at least 3,000 have already been sent to Russia.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the regime led by Kim Jong-un of preparing to supply more than 10,000 soldiers to fight in Ukraine, on the side of the Russians. The South Korean secret services pointed out that they are collaborating with their Ukrainian counterpart authorities, and that the use of facial recognition technology has made it possible to identify the presence of North Korean officers in the Donetsk region controlled by Russian forces.
“We will continue to pay attention and see what happens. If they are co-belligerents, if their intentions are to participate in this war in defense of Russia, then this will be a very, very serious matter,” warned the US Secretary of Defense.
Austin also commented that the possible inclusion of North Korean soldiers in the war, as well as the dependence on weapons offered by North Korea and Iran, could be a reflection of the difficulties that Russia has had in obtaining more soldiers and more human resources, to sustain its war in Ukraine. “This is an indication that they may be in more trouble than people realize,” said the American general.
The Kremlin, however, refutes the West’s allegations. The Russian Presidency has always denied indirect support from third countries in the war in Ukraine, especially North Korea and Iran, and also denied on Wednesday that there are North Korean troops training on Russian soil.
What is irrefutable is the strong rapprochement between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un over the past year. Putin, who has rarely left Russia since the beginning of the Ukrainian invasion in March 2022, has already visited Pyongyang, and the two leaders signed a mutual defense pact in June this year.
Putin with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
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New EU diplomacy chief defines war in Ukraine as priority of mandate
The next high representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs highlighted the war in Ukraine as a priority at the beginning of her mandate and the strengthening of defense in the 27 countries of the community bloc, but avoided talking about Israel.
According to the responses to the questionnaire that Kaja Kallas, former Prime Minister of Estonia, sent to MEPs, “strengthening the security and defense” of the European Union (EU) “is a necessity”, as the two areas “are in danger”. “We need to act urgently. In the first 100 days of my mandate, together with the Defense Commissioner, I will propose a manual on the future of European defense”, said the former MEP.
The document that Kaja Kallas will present will determine “the necessary investments and will present the ideas” for a long-term plan on “building the Defense EU”.
Strengthening defense in the 27 countries of the community bloc is part of the high representative’s strategy for Security Policy as well. “I am willing to study, together with the Council [da UE] and the Member States, other concrete ways to reinforce our level in terms of security and defense”, he added.
In this sense, it is necessary to analyze the threats that the EU faces “to understand and respond to them” in the best way and with the required speed.
Among the priorities is the conflict in Ukraine, which has lasted more than two and a half years. The Russian invasion put Estonia even more on alert, as it is one of the countries on the edge of the community bloc and borders on Russian territory. As Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas has always been one of the most vocal voices regarding the need to support Ukraine. Estonia was a Soviet republic.
The hearing at the European Parliament, in Brussels, for Kaja Kallas, to receive a possible ‘green light’ from MEPs, will take place on November 12th.
Teresa Suarez
Other news
⇒ Ukrainian diplomacy welcomed the lack of references in the final declaration of the BRICS summit to “Russian neo-imperialist vision of changing the world order and global security architecture through its aggression against Ukraine”. In a statement, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the declaration is linked to “commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations” and pointed out that “the declaration demonstrates that the BRICS, as an association, do not have a unique position” on the war in Ukraine;
⇒ Russian authorities announced this Wednesday the capture of two more locations in the province of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine and the main focus of the invasion launched by Moscow forces in February 2022. The Russian Ministry of Defense indicated in a statement on the Telegram network that “units of the Southern group of forces liberated the city of Serebrianka”, while the Center group took control of Nikolaevka. Kiev has not yet commented on Russia’s announcement;
⇒ German military aircraft will patrol the North Atlantic from a base in Scotland under a new defense agreement between the United Kingdom and Germany, concluded this Wednesday in response to the growing threat from Russia. The British and German Defense Ministers signed the protocol in London, with authorities from both countries stressing that it is the first defense agreement between the two NATO member states to reinforce European security in the midst of growing Russian aggression;
⇒ Russian authorities have charged 130 Ukrainian soldiers who were captured as part of the ground incursion launched by Kiev in August against the Russian region of Kursk with terrorism crimes, for “intimidating the population” and for “repeatedly opening fire to kill soldiers and civilians Russians.” In early August, Ukraine began a major offensive against the Kursk border region, taking control of more than a hundred cities, but the Russian Armed Forces have managed to regain several positions since then;
⇒ Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha will visit Angola this week as part of a tour of countries in Africa and the Arab world to promote the peace formula and consolidate humanitarian and energy support for Ukraine. The visit takes place between October 24th and 25th, and Sybiha must then visit Egypt and South Africa.
