Time to play fire with fire, "Russia and North Korea will help each other if attacked": Vladmir Putin

[The Bald Eagle]

Putin says Russia and North Korea will help each other if attacked, taking ties to a ‘new level’​

Vladimir Putin said Russia and North Korea have ramped up ties to a “new level,” pledging to help each other if either nation is attacked in a “breakthrough” new partnership announced during the Russian president’s rare visit to the reclusive state.

Thousands of North Koreans chanting “welcome Putin” lined the city’s wide boulevards brandishing Russian and North Korean flags and bouquets of flowers, as Putin kicked off his first visit to North Korea in 24 years with a finely choreographed display of influence in the dictatorship.

The pair then signed the new strategic partnership to replace previous deals signed in 1961, 2000 and 2001, according to Russian state news agency TASS. “The comprehensive partnership agreement signed today includes, among other things, the provision of mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement,” Putin said after the meeting.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin exit a welcome ceremony at Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang on June 19.

He said the deal encompasses the “political, trade, investment, cultural spheres, and the security sphere as well,” calling the pact “truly a breakthrough document.”

Putin said joint drills involving the United States, South Korea and Japan were “hostile” toward North Korea,” characterizing the US policy as “confrontational.” Kim, meanwhile, called the new “alliance” a “watershed moment in the development of the bilateral relations.”

But the deal between the two autocrats raised many questions, too – including whether Russia’s nuclear deterrent now extends to North Korea, and vice versa, or whether the two nations will now hold joint military drills.

Putin greeted with fanfare. Putin was met with exuberant celebrations at a welcome ceremony with his counterpart at Kim Il Sung Square in the heart of the North Korean capital, where mounted soldiers, military personnel and children holding balloons cheered against the backdrop of large portraits of the each leader.

A NATO-style defense pact and an image boost – what Putin got from North Korean visit

The two leaders presented their respective officials and stood together as the Russian national anthem played before riding off standing shoulder to shoulder in an open-top limousine as they smiled and waved to the crowds. The scenes of pomp and fanfare were a constant throughout the day, which closed with Kim escorting Putin to his plane late in the evening ahead of his trip to Vietnam.

The staging reflected North Korea’s reliance on Moscow and was likely intended as a reminder to the West that Putin still holds considerable influence in at least some corners of the world, after his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The relationship is important to Russia, too. Multiple governments have accused Pyongyang of supplying arms to Moscow for its grinding war in Ukraine, a charge both countries have denied, despite significant evidence of such transfers.

Source: CNN

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Lol.. Now US and its allies will get a taste of their own medicine

 

[JaDed]

Lol.. Now US and its allies will get a taste of their own medicine

Thought the same lol

 

[FearlessRoar]

North Korea is itself dependent on Russia for security.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Thought the same lol

And another funny thing is that its going to be the Eastern version of Quad and NATO with China also being part of this alliance.

 

[JaDed]

And another funny thing is that its going to be the Eastern version of Quad and NATO with China also being part of this alliance.

In all honesty this has happened before with Vietnam and they got smacked into oblivion. I live in states and I support them overall but their absolute hypocrisy with Middle east I can’t ignore.

US should aways stick economy and tech that’s their strong point they get involved in these pointless nonsense.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

US should aways stick economy and tech that’s their strong point they get involved in these pointless nonsense.

100 percent agree but US deep state elements and their stupid offensive realism theories are ruining US, like obama's pivot to Asia etc crap. As long as they stick to their strengths they won't lose the Super power spot.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Putin is cooking something big and nasty here, Surprise to ensue soon
=====

Russian President Vladimir Putin flies to Vietnam on Wednesday evening after a day trip to North Korea for a visit to an old ally that has positioned itself as an increasingly influential geopolitical player, wooed by most major nations

The visit, among other things, is Russia’s way of showcasing that Putin is treated as a pariah by the West, but he still holds political clout in the East, experts have said. Communist-led Vietnam will welcome Putin for a two-day visit, the Kremlin said.

The trip comes after the United States last week imposed more sanctions on Moscow and Western countries reiterated their unwavering support for Ukraine – now fighting its third year of war against Russia – by agreeing to a $50bn loan for Kyiv at a Group of Seven summit. The visit also comes days after last weekend’s Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland.

So, why Vietnam?
While North Korea, where Putin held meetings with leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday, is itself a global outcast — heavily sanctioned by the United Nations over its nuclear and missile programmes — Vietnam is a nation that other major countries want close ties with.

A rising economy and a leading exporter of garments, Vietnam today counts the US and other Western countries as important partners. India is a growing defence partner. Vietnam is also a pillar of Southeast Asian efforts to balance ties with China — keeping strong economic ties with Beijing while pushing back against perceived military threats from the Asian giant.

That backdrop makes Vietnam a choice destination for the Russian leader. “Putin will hope his Vietnam visit signals that Russia is far from isolated in Asia amid its recent Ukraine war inroads,” said Prashanth Parameswaran, a fellow at the Washington, DC-based Wilson Center. “Even though the visit has been pending for a while now and Moscow’s list of regional friends is quite short in practice,” added Parameswaran, who is also the founder of the weekly ASEAN Wonk newsletter.

What is on the agenda?
Talks are expected to focus on strengthening their strategic partnership. In 2001, Russia became the first country to sign a strategic partnership with Vietnam.

Regional and global issues will also feature on the agenda, the Russian state news agency TASS reported. Following the meeting, a joint statement will be adopted and a number of bilateral documents will be signed, it added.

How strong are Vietnam-Russia ties?
Ties between the two countries date back to the Soviet Union, which was Hanoi’s biggest weapons supplier — a position that Russia today still occupies.

The Soviet Union’s military support was critical to the Communist Party of Vietnam during key historical events, including the First and Second Indochina Wars against France and the US.

But the relationship between the two goes beyond its military scope.

“They were once on the same side of history, they shared the same ideology against Western capitalism and imperialism. And the legacy of shared ideology is still there,” said Huong Le Thu, International Crisis Group’s deputy programme director for Asia.

The Soviet Union used to host tens of thousands of Vietnamese students during the Cold War, including the current head of the Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong.

Hanoi’s architecture also has a Soviet touch, such as the museum of modern Vietnam’s founding father Ho Chi Minh, and an imposing Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Cultural Palace, built in the late 1970s.

Source: Al Jazeera

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Russia, Iran & China siding with North Korea, while India going the opposite pole with South Korea. Certainly, India is playing against geography just to appease USA​

========

India Korea Relations: Why the Indian Army Chief visited Seoul?​

Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande recently undertook a four-day visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK), aiming to enhance bilateral defense cooperation, particularly in defense manufacturing. During the visit, he engaged in crucial discussions with high-ranking South Korean military officials, focusing on fostering mutual understanding and contributing to the security framework of the Indo-Pacific region.

Sources within the defense and security establishment highlighted the significance of the visit, emphasizing that General Pande received detailed briefings on security aspects in the joint security area and demilitarized zone. Additionally, he visited a drone combat unit to gain insights into border management and surveillance facilities, contributing to discussions on regional security situations.

The primary objective of the visit was to seek collaboration from South Korea in defense manufacturing, involving strategic discussions and bilateral meetings with key figures like General Park An-su and General Kim Seung-kyum. These engagements aimed not only to foster mutual understanding but also to contribute to the overall security architecture of the Indo-Pacific, aligning with the broader geopolitical goals of both nations.

The visit which commenced on November 20, holds historical significance in India-ROK relations, as it marks the day 73 years ago when the Indian Army played a vital role in the Korean War, providing medical support and contributing a Brigade Size Force named ‘Custodian Force’ under the United Nations. This historical connection further solidifies the ties between the two nations.

Why is the visit important and the significance of Nov 20?

Regarding the importance of the visit, Neeraj Rajput, Editor in Chief of Final Assault and a Senior War-journalist, emphasized the humanitarian role played by India during the Korean War.

He says: “The benchmark of Indian and South Korea relationship is the stellar role 60 Para Field Ambulance (Headquartered in Agra) played during the Korean War (1950-53) where the Indian paramedics not only treated soldiers of ROK but also of North Korea. 03 Indian paramedics had even laid down their lives healing the wounded Korean soldiers.”

“South Korea pays homage to Indian soldiers by making a special ‘Bharat’ memorial at the sprawling Korean War Memorial in the heart of the capital Seoul. That is exactly the reason COAS Gen Manoj Pande began his visit to Seoul exactly on 20th November because that was the day 70 years ago when 60 Para Field Ambulance had landed in Busan (port city of South Korea) to participate in war not for fighting but healing the wounded soldiers. This humanitarian approach of India has touched Korea since then.”

Optical imaging for national defence: Safeguarding borders and strengthening security
Sharing further details, Rajput who has done ground reporting from the Korean Peninsula, shares his views in an exclusive interaction with Financial Express Online. “Indians had again played an important role when the war ended with a cease fire and PoWs (Prisoners of War) were exchanged between two Korean countries. The (Non) Repatriation Commission formed under the aegis of the UN was led by none other than India’s top most military commander since Independence, Maj Gen KS Thimayya (who later became the COAS). “

“The repatriation of the PoWs had taken place from the ‘Bridge of No return’ on the DMZ (Demilitarised Zone) between North and South Korea. The bridge was seen in the ‘02 James Bond flick, Die Another Day. Gen Pande also visited the DMZ during his visit to South Korea earlier this week,” he adds.

Source: Financial Express

 

[Champ_Pal]

Russia has fallen badly. They are seeking Kim Jong Un’s assistance now.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Fun fact: Same pacts also took place before WW1​

====

NATO chief says Russia, North Korea pact shows mutual support by authoritarian powers​

Russia's new defensive pact with North Korea shows increasing alignment among authoritarian powers and underscores the importance of democracies presenting a united front, the head of NATO said on Wednesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a deal with North Korea's Kim Jong Un that included a mutual defense pledge, a move that overhauls Moscow's policy towards Pyongyang.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said North Korea had provided "an enormous amount of ammunition" to Russia while both China and Iran were supporting Moscow militarily in its war against Ukraine.

"We need to be aware that authoritarian powers are aligning more and more. They are supporting each other in a way we haven't seen before," he told a panel discussion during an official visit to Ottawa.

"When they are more and more aligned - authoritarian regimes like North Korea and China, Iran, Russia - then it's even more important that we are aligned as countries believing in freedom and democracy," he said.

The growing closeness between Russia and other Asian nations means it is all the more important that NATO works with allies in the Asia-Pacific, he said, adding this was why leaders from Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea had been invited to a NATO summit in Washington next month.

Stoltenberg also said he expected Canada to meet the NATO target of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense.
Canada's Liberal government, which has poured billions into social programs, only spends 1.37% of GDP on its military. In April it issued a plan to reach 1.76% by 2030.

Other NATO members "are concerned about the fiscal balance, they want to spend money on health (and) education" he said, adding that "if we're not able to preserve peace, then what we do on health and climate change and education ... will fail".

Source: Reuters

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Russia has fallen badly. They are seeking Kim Jong Un’s assistance now.

Lol Putin is a great tactician only time will disclose his master class, sleepy joe is too sleepy to point this out

 

[PakLFC]

China will also be with Russia and NK too. Most likely Turkey and Iran as well where as us Pak's as always won't know where we stand!

 

[Champ_Pal]

Lol Putin is a great tactician only time will disclose his master class, sleepy joe is too sleepy to point this out

It will be Trump in the office come December. He will not play games like Sloe Biden.

 

[Statpadder Inc]

Lol Putin is a great tactician only time will disclose his master class, sleepy joe is too sleepy to point this out

Than why is Russia so poor and miserable

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Than why is Russia so poor and miserable

Bro have a read, and as so know they have been under crippling sanctions for like too long now but still doing well
====

Why Sanctions Haven’t Hobbled Russia​

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/16/briefing/russian-sanctions.html#site-content
Back in 2022, Western nations imposed the most extensive sanctions and trade restrictions in history on Moscow.

Today, Russia appears to be doing OK.

Its economy is growing steadily. Russia can’t buy much from the West but has found new providers for drones, surveillance gear, computer chips and other gear. Its oil and gas sales are still strong, despite attempts to stop them. Russian officials say they have plenty of money to pay for their war.

Moscow’s continued strength is a humbling result for the U.S. and its allies. These nations make up more than half of the global economy, and they tried to weaponize their influence over trade and finance to weaken Russia. They hoped to make President Vladimir Putin a pariah and maybe even stop the war. Today, I’ll explain why those efforts have fallen short — and whether they can be made to work again.

Why Sanctions Haven’t Hobbled Russia

Moscow’s continued strength is a humbling result for the U.S. and its allies.

www.nytimes.com

 

[sweep_shot]

Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea should form a pact like NATO.

Attack on one is attack on all.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea should form a pact like NATO.

Attack on one is attack on all.

Even such a declaration would be a nightmare for West, but don't know why Indians hating this idea

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Putin says Russia may send weapons to North Korea

President Vladimir Putin said that Russia might supply weapons to North Korea in what he suggested would be a mirror response to the Western arming of Ukraine.

Putin was speaking to reporters in Vietnam on Thursday, a day after visiting nuclear-armed North Korea and signing a mutual defence agreement with its leader, Kim Jong Un.

Western countries have shunned North Korea because of its development of nuclear and ballistic missiles in defiance of United Nations sanctions, and view the growing ties between Moscow and Pyongyang with concern.

Putin threatened earlier this month that Russia might supply arms to Western adversaries because the West was providing high-precision weapons to Ukraine and giving it permission to fire them at targets inside Russia.

Putin says Russia may send weapons to North Korea

His comments come after South Korea says will consider supplying arms to Ukraine after Russia and North Korea sign deal.

www.aljazeera.com

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Lol.. Hypocrisy of western media. Well who were the first and only user of nuclear weapons.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Lol..why China would resist it, stupid from US
====
The United States will confront Russia at the United Nations Security Council on Friday over violating a North Korea arms embargo, and will push for China's view on growing ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, said deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood

The meeting of the 15-member council comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Pyongyang last week to sign a pact with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in which they agreed to provide military assistance if either faces armed aggression.

"This should be of great concern to the entire global community," Wood told Reuters ahead of the meeting, accusing Russia of "in essence siding with a rogue state to violate countless UN Security Council resolutions." "This is unprecedented, and we need to call it out for what it is," he said. "We also want to see what China has to say about this growing military cooperation between DPRK and Russia.

They cannot view this as a positive development." China reacted guardedly last week. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the summit was a bilateral exchange between Russia and North Korea, but did not elaborate.

Formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korea has been under UN sanctions since 2006 for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and those measures have been strengthened over the years - with Russia's support.

But over the past year the United States has repeatedly accused North Korea of sending weapons to Russia to use in its war against Ukraine, which it invaded in February 2022. Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the accusations.

Source: Business Standard

 

[The Bald Eagle]

India plays down US ambassador Garcetti’s swipe over PM Modi’s Russia trip​

India on Friday sought to play down US ambassador Eric Garcetti’s remarks critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia and New Delhi’s policy of strategic autonomy, saying the comprehensive ties between New Delhi and Washington give both sides the “space to agree to disagree”.

Last week, Garcetti took a swipe against Modi’s trip to Russia, saying strategic autonomy cannot apply in times of conflict and that India and the US must uphold principles when other countries go against the rules-based order or violate sovereign borders. His remarks were seen as a criticism of India’s position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Asked about the comments at a regular media briefing on Friday, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal contended that the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership gave both sides the latitude to adopt different approaches on certain matters. He also defended New Delhi’s policy of strategic autonomy.

“India, like many other countries, values its strategic autonomy. The US ambassador is entitled obviously to his opinion. We also have our own and different views,” Jaiswal said.

Source: Hindustan Times

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Putin vows ‘mirror measures’ if US puts missiles in Germany in 2026, as planned

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin promised to “mirror measures” if the United States follows through on plans to station longer-range and hypersonic missiles in Germany — claiming the move would free Russia from a moratorium on deploying its own long-range, lethal weapons.

Speaking Sunday at a naval parade in St. Petersburg, Putin said Russia may deploy the missiles in response to a US announcement earlier this month that it would affirm its commitment to NATO — and the defense of Europe — by installing its weapons in Germany, starting in 2026.

“If the U.S. implements such plans, we will consider ourselves free from the previously imposed unilateral moratorium on the deployment of intermediate and shorter-range strike weapons, including increasing the capability of the coastal forces of our navy,” Putin said.

He also claimed Moscow is in the final stages of developing such systems.

Putin vows ‘mirror measures’ if US puts missiles in Germany in 2026, as planned

Putin said Russia may deploy new strike weapons after the US announced earlier this month that it would affirm its commitment to NATO by installing missiles in Germany, beginning in 2026.

nypost.com

 

[The Bald Eagle]

North Korean military engineers have been deployed to help Russia target Ukraine with ballistic missiles, and fighters operating in occupied areas of the country have already been killed, senior officials in Kyiv and Seoul said

There are dozens of North Koreans behind Russian lines, in teams that “support launcher systems for KN-23 missiles”, a source in Ukraine told the Guardian.

Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, last year travelled to Russia for a summit with Vladimir Putin where the two men bolstered their deepening ties with a secret arms deal.

Pyongyang’s ammunition shipments were vital in allowing Russian forces to advance in a grinding war of attrition in eastern Ukraine this summer. But it appears increasingly clear that the agreement went beyond supplying materiel.

North Koreans were among the dead after a Ukrainian missile strike on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk last week, South Korean and Ukrainian officials said. It was not clear if they were military engineers or other forces.

Russia and North Korea: what can they do for each other?
Foreigners have fought as mercenaries for Russia, but if North Koreans are on the ground it would mark the first time a foreign government has sent troops in uniform to support Moscow’s war.

South Korea’s defence minister, Kim Yong-hyun, told MPs in Seoul this week that it was “highly likely” that North Korean officers had been deployed to fight alongside Russians, and several had died in the attack, although he did not give further details.

Andriy Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, said in a post on Telegram that some North Koreans had been killed in Russia. His organisation is part of the national security and defence council.

On Wednesday the Ukrainian military said they had destroyed North Korean ammunition in a strike on a depot in the Bryansk region, 75 miles (120 km) from the Ukrainian border.

Source: The Guardian

 

[BouncerGuy]

N Korea to send troops to fight with Russia: Seoul

South Korea's spy agency says North Korea is set to send as many as 12,000 troops to fight with Russia in Ukraine, in what Seoul described as a "grave security threat".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier said 10,000 North Korean soldiers could join the war, based on intelligence information.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called for a security meeting on Friday and said the international community must respond with "all available means".

This comes as evidence mounts that North Korea is supplying Russia with ammunition, as recently demonstrated by the recovery of a missile in Ukraine’s Poltava region.

Moscow and Pyongyang have also been deepening their cooperation in recent months. Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin on his birthday, calling him his "closest comrade".

Friday's security meeting was attended by key officials from South Korea's National Security Office, the Ministry of National Defence, and the National Intelligence Service, Yoon's office said.

"[The participants] decided not to ignore the situation and to jointly respond to it with the international community using all available means," it said.

The allegation from the National Intelligence Service comes days after Ukrainian military intelligence sources said that Russia's army is forming a unit of North Koreans.

The BBC has reached out to the NIS for comment.

Earlier this week, Putin introduced a bill to ratify a military pact he made with Kim, which pledges that Russia and North Korea will help each other in the event of "aggression" against either country.

A military source in Russia’s Far East told BBC Russian this week that “a number of North Koreans have arrived” and were stationed in one of the military bases near Ussuriysk, to the north of Vladivostok.

However, some military experts believe the Russian military units will have difficulties incorporating North Korean troops into their frontlines.

Apart from the language barrier, the North Korean army has no recent experience of combat operations, they said.

“They could guard some sections of the Russian-Ukrainian border, which would free Russian units for fighting elsewhere,” said Valeriy Ryabykh, editor of the Ukrainian publication Defence Express.

“I would rule out the possibility that these units will immediately appear on the front line.”

BBC

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Russia’s Putin kicks off strategic nuclear training exercise

President Vladimir Putin kicked off a new exercise of Russia’s nuclear forces on Tuesday at a critical point in the Ukraine war, the second such drill that Moscow has held in two weeks.

The 2-1/2-year-old war is entering what Russian officials say is its most dangerous phase as Russian forces are advancing in eastern Ukraine and the West considers how to shore up Ukraine.

Russia has been signaling for weeks to the West that Moscow will respond if the United States and its allies help Ukraine fire longer-range missiles deep into Russia, while NATO says that North Korea has sent troops to western Russia.

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2024/10/29/putin-orders-strategic-nuclear-training-exercise

 

[Champ_Pal]

Even such a declaration would be a nightmare for West, but don't know why Indians hating this idea

China will neither help nor attack anyone. They are all about posturing and bullying their weak south east asian neighbors.

Russia cannot beat Ukraine let alone NATO.

Iran is a joke and North Korea is an even bigger joke. The only countries missing in that alliance are Sudan and Somalia. I heard they are great warriors.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

China will neither help nor attack anyone. They are all about posturing and bullying their weak south east asian neighbors.

Russia cannot beat Ukraine let alone NATO.

Iran is a joke and North Korea is an even bigger joke. The only countries missing in that alliance are Sudan and Somalia. I heard they are great warriors.

Nope Russia under Putin is no all talk but no action if he leads such an alliance then certainly an article 5 like invocation would be deadly for the opposing country or countries.

 

[Champ_Pal]

Nope Russia under Putin is no all talk but no action if he leads such an alliance then certainly an article 5 like invocation would be deadly for the opposing country or countries.

So you think China, India, Brazil will come to Iran's aid if it gets attacked?

BRICS is not NATO. NATO has one superpower and the rest are side kicks. They are all liberal democracies not divided by religion and culture.

BRICS nations have polar opposite ideologies with a lot of internal squabbles. They cannot put a united front when it comes to war. Every BRIC nation has its own personal agenda. They may unite economically, but ideologically, they are fractured.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea should form a pact like NATO.

Attack on one is attack on all.

@Champ_Pal, this is what I answered too, no mention of India or Brazil here

So you think China, India, Brazil will come to Iran's aid if it gets attacked?

BRICS is not NATO. NATO has one superpower and the rest are side kicks. They are all liberal democracies not divided by religion and culture.

BRICS nations have polar opposite ideologies with a lot of internal squabbles. They cannot put a united front when it comes to war. Every BRIC nation has its own personal agenda. They may unite economically, but ideologically, they are fractured.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

China, Russia meet over Ukraine war as West slams N. Korea troops

The roughly 10,000 North Korean soldiers sent to train "will probably augment Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks," Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told journalists this week

While Pyongyang denies its troops are training in Russia, North Korea's vice foreign minister, Kim Jong Gyu, said that were such a deployment to happen, it would be in line with international law.

China considers both Russia and North Korea its close partners.

The U.S. government has expressed with China its concerns over Pyongyang's deepening military engagement.

When asked about talks with Washington during a regular news conference Wednesday, China's foreign ministry declined to comment.

The foreign ministry also declined to confirm whether Wang raised the issue of North Korean troops in Russia with Rudenko when they met.

Source: Daily Sabah

 

[The Bald Eagle]

North Korea pledges to stand by Russia until ‘victory’ in Ukraine​

North Korea will back Russia until it achieves victory in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said in Moscow as the United States warned thousands of Pyongyang’s troops were at the Ukrainian border and could soon be deployed into combat.

In her meeting on Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Choe also accused the US and South Korea of plotting a nuclear strike against her country.

“Our traditional, historically friendly relations, which have travelled the tested path of history, today … are rising to a new level of relations of invincible military comradeship,” she said, praising the role played in this by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

She said North Korea had no doubt that under Putin’s “wise leadership” the Russian army and people would “achieve a great victory in their sacred struggle to protect the sovereign rights and security interests of their state”.

“And we also assure that until the day of victory we will firmly stand alongside our Russian comrades,” Choe said.

Lavrov spoke of the “very close ties” between the two countries’ militaries and said this enabled them to solve important security tasks together.

The two did not address statements by leaders in Ukraine, South Korea and their Western allies that Pyongyang had deployed some 10,000 North Korean soldiers to Russia to fight in Ukraine.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said as many as 8,000 North Korean soldiers were in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops crossed the border into Russia in a surprise incursion in August, and that he expected them to go into combat against Ukraine in the coming days.

“We are deeply grateful to our Korean friends for their principled position regarding the events that have now unfolded in Ukraine as a result of the West’s course of advancing NATO to the east and encouraging an openly racist regime to exterminate everything Russian,” Lavrov said.

Choe told Lavrov that the situation on the Korean Peninsula could become “explosive” any moment, given the threats from Washington and Seoul, but did not provide any evidence to back her allegations.

She said North Korea needed to strengthen its nuclear arsenal and perfect its readiness to deliver a retaliatory nuclear strike if necessary.

Source: Al Jazeera