South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed he “won’t sit idle” over reports that North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia to aid Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking in Seoul after talks with visiting Polish president Andrzej Duda, Mr Yoon described the North Korean deployment as “a provocation that threatens global security beyond the Korean Peninsula and Europe”. He added: “South Korea won’t sit idle over this.”
It has been reported that South Korea is now considering sending offensive weapons to Ukraine, breaking their rule not to send weapons to countries engaged in active combat.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has said it shot down 80 per cent of the 50 Russian drones launched in an overnight attack, while another seven disappeared from radars.
The Ukrainian Air Force said one drone was still in Ukrainian airspace while two others had turned back towards Russia and Belarus.
Ukraine uses electronic warfare systems to confuse drones’ navigation systems, which often leads them to disappear from radars or change course.
Key Points
- What we know about the North Korean troops in Ukraine
- Foreign troops would escalate war, says Belarusian president
Putin neither confirms nor denies North Korean boots in Russia
04:28
Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin was asked about whether any North Korean troops were in Russia, which he neither confirmed nor denied. The US on Wednesday said that 3,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia and are training at several locations.
“Images are a serious thing, if there are images, then they reflect something,” he said when asked about satellite photos of troops.
Mr Putin noted that lawmakers in Moscow earlier in the day ratified a pact with North Korea on mutual military assistance as part of a “strategic partnership” with Pyongyang.
“We have never doubted that the North Korean leadership takes our agreements seriously. What and how we will do within the framework of this article (of the agreement) is our business,” he said.
Putin ends Brics summit overshadowed by Ukraine
04:09
Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin closed a summit of the Brics bloc of developing economies last night, praising its role as a counterbalance to what he called the West’s “perverse methods.”
The three-day summit in the city of Kazan was attended by leaders or representatives of 36 countries, highlighting the failure of US-led efforts to isolate Russia over its actions in Ukraine.
The conflict came up repeatedly at the meeting, which saw the first visit to Russia from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in more than two years and drew an angry reaction from Kyiv.
Mr Guterres called for “a just peace” in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions. He also urged an immediate end to the fighting in Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan.
At a news conference last night, Mr Putin was asked about former US president Donald Trump’s promise to end the fighting in Ukraine.
“What Mr Trump said recently, what I heard, (is) he spoke about the desire to do everything to end the conflict in Ukraine,” Mr Putin said. “It seems to me that he said it sincerely. We certainly welcome statements of this kind, no matter who makes them.”
G7 allies are moving ahead with a $50 billion loan for Ukraine backed by frozen Russian funds
04:00
Tom Watling
Russian attacks kill six in Ukraine's east
03:57
Arpan Rai
Russian attacks on eastern Ukraine killed at least six people and wounded 10 yesterday, regional authorities said.
A thermobaric ammunition attack on the town of Kupiansk in the northeastern Kharkiv region wounded 10 people, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. A woman who was admitted to hospital in a serious condition after the attack later died, he said.
“The enemy struck near a shop and the town market,” Mr Syniehubov said in an initial statement.
He later added that a two-storey retail building had been damaged, along with a dozen kiosks and windows of nearby homes.Russia occupied Kupiansk in the early days of its 2022 invasion but was pushed out by a lightning Ukrainian counter-offensive in September that year.
In recent months, Moscow’s forces have been advancing slowly back towards the town and are now less than 4km (2.5 miles) from its northern outskirts, according to open-source maps.
Russian shelling later in the day killed three people around the strategic hub of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region, governor Vadym Filashkin said on Telegram.
Mr Filashkin said later on Facebook that a Russian strike on a branch of the Nova Poshta delivery service killed two people in Oleksiyevo-Druzhkiva, near the frontline towns of Chasiv Yar and Kostyantynivka.
Russian troops have been stepping up their advance towards Pokrovsk in recent months, moving as close as 8km from its outskirts.
Russian lawmakers ratify pact with North Korea as US confirms that Pyongyang sent troops to Russia
03:00
Tom Watling
A thread on North Korea’s deployment of soldiers to Russia
02:00
Tom Watling
Recently, it has been said that North Korean troops in Ukraine are a sign of Russia’s weakness.
— Emil Kastehelmi (@emilkastehelmi) October 24, 2024
While this arrangement naturally proves once again that the war isn’t going as Russia initially wanted, I view this as a practical solution rather than just simple weakness. 1/ pic.twitter.com/oVDVVjbaeq
Tally of latest equipment losses on the frontline
01:00
Tom Watling
Here are losses I could identify yesterday. pic.twitter.com/3JrrZstzaS
— Andrew Perpetua (@AndrewPerpetua) October 24, 2024
Zelensky taunts Putin by wearing ‘make russia small again’ T-shirt
Friday 25 October 2024 00:00
Tom Watling
Ukrainian PM thanks Canada for latest aid package
Thursday 24 October 2024 23:01
Tom Watling
Canada has committed CAD 19.5 billion in assistance to Ukraine since February 2022. We are grateful for the latest aid package of nearly CAD 400 million.
— Denys Shmyhal (@Denys_Shmyhal) October 24, 2024
We thank @JustinTrudeau, @cafreeland and the entire Canadian people for their unwavering and comprehensive support for… pic.twitter.com/9ONIrYeb7v
Mapped: Where has Russia made advances on the frontline in Ukraine?
Thursday 24 October 2024 22:00
Tom Watling
US says North Korean troops ‘fair game’ if sent to fight in Ukraine
Thursday 24 October 2024 21:00
Tom Watling
Olena Zelenska addresses conference in Portugal
Thursday 24 October 2024 20:00
Tom Watling
Time always has a price. For Ukrainians, its price is life. I emphasized this at the “Time to Rethink” conference in Estoril, Portugal. Years of Russian aggression have forced us to rethink our approaches to security and civil defense, child protection and mental resilience. But… pic.twitter.com/LRVrYK4yZK
— Olena Zelenska / Олена Зеленська (@ZelenskaUA) October 24, 2024
Russian soldiers fighting in Kursk region on border with Ukraine
Thursday 24 October 2024 19:02
Tom Watling
What’s the latest on the frontline in Ukraine?
Thursday 24 October 2024 18:02
Tom Watling
Ukrainian and Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast.
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) October 24, 2024
Russian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk, Pokrovsk, and Vuhledar. https://t.co/I0b5TCsDNH pic.twitter.com/npLEMussiQ
Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline in Donetsk - picture
Thursday 24 October 2024 16:59
Tom Watling
Evangelicals emerge as a potent lobby for US support of Ukraine
Thursday 24 October 2024 16:01
Tom Watling
In pictures: Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline in Donetsk Oblast
Thursday 24 October 2024 15:15
Tom Watling
Putin warns of Middle East conflagration and debates Ukraine at BRICS
Thursday 24 October 2024 14:48
Tom Watling
Russian President Vladimir Putin told Brics leaders on Thursday that the Middle East was on the brink of a full-scale war after a sharp rise in tension between Israel and Iran, though the Kremlin chief also faced calls to end the war in Ukraine.
The BRICS summit, attended by more than 20 leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan, has shown the depth of Russia’s relations beyond the Western world.
Much discussion at the summit in the Russian city of Kazan was dedicated to the war in Ukraine and the violence in the Middle East, though there were no sign that anything specific would be done to end either conflict.
“The degree of confrontation between Israel and Iran has sharply increased. All this resembles a chain reaction and puts the entire Middle East on the brink of a full-scale war,” Putin, sitting beside Chinese President Xi Jinping, said.
Xi, speaking after Putin, said that China wanted a political settlement in Ukraine, and suggested joint efforts by Beijing and Brasilia offered the best chance of peace.
“We need to work for an early de-escalation of the situation and pave the way for a political settlement,” Xi said.
On the Middle East, Xi said that there should be a comprehensive ceasefire Gaza, a halt to the spread of war in Lebanon and a return to the two-state solution under which states for both Israel and Palestine would be established.
UPD: Russian strike on Ukraine's Kupiansk kills one, wounds 10, officials say
Thursday 24 October 2024 14:10
Tom Watling
A Russian strike on the frontline town of Kupiansk in northeastern Ukraine killed one person and wounded 10 more, regional authorities said on Thursday.
The governor, Oleh Syniehubov, initially said two people had been killed and three injured in the strike, but subsequently he corrected his statement on the death toll.
Regional prosecutors said later that the person who had died was a woman who had been admitted to hospital in a serious condition.
“The enemy struck near a shop and the town market,” Syniehubov said in his initial statement.
UN chief calls for peace in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine and Sudan
Thursday 24 October 2024 13:44
Tom Watling
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has told Brics leaders including Russian president Vladimir Putin that the world needed peace in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine and Sudan.
“Across the board, we need peace,” Mr Guterres said at the Brics summit in the Russian city of Kazan.
“We need peace in Ukraine. A just peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and UN General Assembly resolutions.”
Zelensky taunts Putin by wearing ‘make russia small again’ T-shirt in video address to nation
Thursday 24 October 2024 13:20
Tom Watling
Mapped: Where has Russia made advances on the frontline in Ukraine?
Thursday 24 October 2024 12:56
Tom Watling
Russian soldier fights in border Kursk region - picture
Thursday 24 October 2024 12:18
Tom Watling
North Korean troops in Ukraine: Everything we know about Kim Jong-un’s army joining Russian invasion
Thursday 24 October 2024 11:49
Tom Watling
UK announces £2.26bn loan for Ukraine using frozen Russian asset funds
Thursday 24 October 2024 11:18
Tom Watling
UPD: Russian strike on Ukraine's Kupiansk wounds four - governor
Thursday 24 October 2024 10:51
Tom Watling
A Russian strike on the frontline town of Kupiansk in northeastern Ukraine wounded four people, Kharkiv region governor Oleh Synehubov said on Thursday.
Synehubov initially said two people had been killed and three injured in the strike, but subsequently he corrected his statement, adding that at present four people were wounded, including a woman who had been hauled out of the rubble.
“The enemy struck near a shop and the town market,” Synehubov said in his initial statement.
Later he said a two-storey retail building had been damaged, along with a dozen kiosks and the windows of nearby homes.
Russia occupied Kupiansk in the early days of its 2022 invasion but was pushed out by a lightning Ukrainian counter-offensive in September that year.
In recent months, Moscow’s forces have been advancing slowly back towards the town and are now less than 4 km (2.5 miles) away from its northern outskirts according to open-source maps.
Russian parliament votes to ratify North Korea partnership treaty
Thursday 24 October 2024 10:23
Tom Watling
The lower house of Russia’s parliament, the State Duma, voted on Thursday to ratify a treaty of partnership between Russia and North Korea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed the mutual defence pact during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June. Russia and North Korea have deepened cooperation since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, with South Korea and Ukraine saying North Korean troops are preparing to deploy in support of Russia.
Thursday 24 October 2024 10:01
Tom Watling
A Russian strike on the frontline town of Kupiansk in northeastern Ukraine killed two people and wounded three others, Kharkiv region governor Oleh Synehubov has reported.
“The enemy struck near a shop and the town market,” Synehubov said.
South Korea's Yoon, Poland's Duda condemn N.Korea troop dispatch to Russia
Thursday 24 October 2024 09:39
Tom Watling
South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol and Polish president Andrzej Duda have jointly condemned North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia for its war against Ukraine as a global security threat, Yoon’s office has said.
The two leaders held a summit and agreed to push to finalise a new contract to export South Korean K-2 tanks to Poland by the end of the year, Yoon told a joint news conference with Duda.
“We agreed that North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia is a direct violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and the UN Charter and is a provocation that goes beyond the Korean Peninsula and Europe to threaten global security,” Yoon said.
North Korea has sent 3,000 troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine, South Korean lawmakers said on Wednesday after being briefed by the national intelligence agency, an estimate that is twice the previous figure.
The South Korean and Polish governments will actively lend support to seal a deal before the end of the year for South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem to supply K-2 tanks to Poland, Yoon said.
Yoon said South Korea and Poland will establish a new forum for defence dialogue and cooperate closely on security matters that affect the two countries.
US says North Korean troops ‘fair game’ if sent to fight in Ukraine
Thursday 24 October 2024 09:12
Tom Watling
US finalizes £15 billion share of G7 loan to Ukraine
Thursday 24 October 2024 08:46
Tom Watling
The US has finalised its $20 billion (£15.4 bn) portion of a long-awaited $50 billion loan to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets, announcing plans to start making funds available by year-end for economic and military aid.
US treasury secretary Janet Yellen and Ukrainian finance minister Serhiy Marchenko signed an agreement for a US loan commitment of $20 billion, which would be placed alongside a separate $20 billion European Union commitment and $10 billion to be split by G7 allies Britain, Japan and Canada.
The loan will be repaid with the earnings from the over $300 billion in sovereign Russian assets that have been immobilized since Moscow’s armies invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The funds are mostly held in Europe.
“In other words, Ukraine can receive the assistance it needs now, without burdening taxpayers,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.
The Biden administration wants to make $10 billion of the loan funds available for military aid, a plan that would require the approval of the U.S. Congress, White House National Security Council officials told reporters.
It does not need Congress’ approval to make available the remaining $10 billion by December, an NSC official said, adding: “Either way, the U.S. will provide $20 billion in support to Ukraine through this effort, whether it’s split between economic and military support or provided entirely via economic assistance.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his nightly address, thanked Mr Biden and Ms Yellen for making the US loan happen, calling it a “significant step towards supporting Ukraine‘s fight for freedom and holding Russia accountable”.
He wore a t-shirt with the words “Make Russia small again” written on the front, a reference to the Donald Trump slogan “Make American Great Again”.
There is important news from the United States: America has made the decision to provide $20 billion.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 23, 2024
These funds are secured by immobilized Russian assets and are part of the G7’s decision to allocate $50 billion to Ukraine, aimed at supporting our defense and resilience.… pic.twitter.com/xue4gfBgdt
In pictures: Ukrainian soldiers fly drones near the frontline in Donetsk region
Thursday 24 October 2024 08:30
Tom Watling
G7 allies are moving ahead with a $50 billion loan for Ukraine backed by frozen Russian funds
Thursday 24 October 2024 08:00
Arpan Rai
The White House said Wednesday that Group of Seven allies are moving forward with providing Ukraine with $50 billion in loans for Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets.
Leaders of the wealthy democracies agreed earlier this year to engineer the mammoth loan to help Ukraine in its fight for survival after Russia’s invasion. Interest earned on profits from Russia’s frozen central bank assets would be used as collateral.
Daleep Singh, the White House deputy national security adviser on international economics, said the United States plans to provide a loan of $20 billion. The additional $30 billion will come from the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan. among others.
“To be clear, nothing like this has ever been done before,” Singh said.
Officials say North Korea has sent troops to Russia. What would that mean for the war with Ukraine?
Thursday 24 October 2024 07:30
Arpan Rai
US and South Korean officials said Wednesday that there’s evidence North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia in a potential escalation of the nearly 3-year-old war with Ukraine.
If the soldiers’ goal is fighting with Russia in Ukraine, it would be the first time a third country puts boots on the ground in the war. Other countries on both sides of the divide have sent military aid, including weapons and training: Iran has supplied Russia with drones, and Western nations have provided Ukraine with modern weapons and financial and humanitarian assistance.
Ukraine says it shot down 40 Russian drones launched overnight
Thursday 24 October 2024 07:30
Arpan Rai
Ukraine said it shot down 40 of 50 Russian drones launched in an overnight attack, while another seven had disappeared from radars.
Kyiv said one drone was still in Ukrainian airspace while two others had turned back towards Russia and Belarus.
Ukraine uses electronic warfare systems to confuse drones’ navigation systems, which often leads them to disappear from radars or change course.
South Korea warns it could arm Ukraine amid fears of Putin Kim Jong Un weapon swap
Thursday 24 October 2024 07:00
Andy Gregory
South Korea has warned that it could consider supplying weapons to Ukraine in response to North Korea allegedly dispatching troops to Russia.
The South Korean statement is apparently meant to pressure Russia not to bring in North Korean troops in its war against Ukraine. South Korean officials worry that Russia may reward North Korea by giving it sophisticated weapons technologies that can boost the North’s nuclear and missile programs that target South Korea.
In an emergency National Security Council meeting, top South Korean officials condemned North Korea’s alleged dispatch of troops as “a grave security threat” to South Korea and the international community. They described North Korea as “a criminal group” that forces its youths to serve as Russian mercenaries for an unjustifiable war, the South Korean presidential office said in a statement.
Read the full report:
In pics: Ukrainian fighters prepare for drone assault on Russian forces
Thursday 24 October 2024 06:28
Arpan Rai
Germany won’t tell countries like South Korea how to support Ukraine, Berlin says
Thursday 24 October 2024 06:00
Reuters
It is not up to Germany to dictate to other countries how they should support Ukraine, a German government spokesperson said on Wednesday, amid debate over South Korea’s response to the possible deployment of North Korean troops in support of Russia.
“I don’t think it is up to us here to tell other countries how they should organise their support for Ukraine,” the spokesperson told a press conference in Berlin, when asked about the government’s position on the issue.
A spokesperson for the German foreign office said South Korea was a close partner of Germany and that the countries had regular contact on security policy, without going into detail.
White House explains North Korea’s involvement in Ukraine war
Thursday 24 October 2024 05:57
Arpan Rai
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the US believes that at least 3,000 North Korean soldiers travelled by ship to Vladivostok, Russia’s largest Pacific port, in early to mid-October.
“These soldiers then traveled onward to multiple Russian military training sites in eastern Russia, where they are currently undergoing training,” Mr Kirby said. “We do not yet know whether these soldiers will enter into combat alongside the Russian military, but this is certainly a highly concerning probability.”
Mr Kirby said they could go to western Russia and then engage in combat against Ukraine’s forces, but both he and defence secretary Lloyd Austin said the US continues to assess the situation. Exactly what the North Korean troops are doing in Russia was “left to be seen,” Mr Austin told reporters in Rome.
He added: “If they’re co-belligerents, their intention is to participate in this war on Russia’s behalf, that is a very, very serious issue, and it will have impacts not only in Europe, it will also impact things in the Indo-Pacific.”
Mr Kirby warned, however, that “I can tell you one thing, though, if they do deploy to fight against Ukraine, they’re fair game.” He said a key question is what North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un is getting out of this.
What can the UN do if North Korea sends troops to Ukraine
Thursday 24 October 2024 05:28
Arpan Rai
The United States, South Korea, Britain and Ukraine say North Korea has sent troops to Russia for possible deployment in Ukraine, a move that the White House said is in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
What can the UN Security Council do if its sanctions on North Korea are being violated?
What can UNSC do if its sanctions on North Korea are being violated?
North Korea has been under UN Security Council sanctions since 2006 and the measures have been steadily strengthened over the years with the aim of halting Pyongyang’s development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
The Security Council has a North Korea sanctions committee - made up of the 15 council members, including Russia - to “examine and take appropriate action on information regarding alleged violations.” It operates by consensus and can designate individuals and entities.
A Security Council member could also propose action through the adoption of a resolution, but that would require at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, France or Britain.
Kyiv says Brics summit backfired on Moscow
Thursday 24 October 2024 05:04
Arpan Rai
The Ukrainian foreign ministry said the Brics summit has backfired on Moscow as Russian officials have failed to win support for its invasion of Ukraine as Putin faced direct calls to end the war.
“The Brics summit, which Russia planned to use to split the world, has once again demonstrated that the world majority remains on the side of Ukraine in its quest to guarantee a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace,” the ministry said.
Ukraine's 'I Want to Live' project calls on North Korean soldiers to surrender
Thursday 24 October 2024 04:41
Arpan Rai
Ukraine is preparing as though combating North Korea in its territory is inevitable.
American and South Korean officials confirmed that there’s evidence North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia in a potential escalation of war with Ukraine.
An injection of 10,000 North Korean troops, which is what both Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence have claimed, “could significantly destabilise Ukraine’s defence there and greatly accelerate the advancement of Russian forces,” said Glib Voloskyi, an analyst from a Ukrainian think tank, Come Back Alive Initiatives Center.
Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” project, a hotline encouraging Russian soldiers to surrender, published a video in Korean calling for North Korean soldiers to give up.“We call for the soldiers of the Korean People’s Army, who were sent to help the Putin regime. You should not die senselessly on someone else’s land. There is no need to repeat the fate of hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers who will never return home!”
What we know about the North Korean troops in Ukraine
Thursday 24 October 2024 04:24
Arpan Rai
North Korean troops were arriving in Russia’s Kursk region as early as yesterday to help Russian troops fight off a Ukrainian border incursion, Ukraine military intelligence directorate head Kyrylo Budanov told the online military news outlet The War Zone.
Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters North Korean officers and technical personnel have already been spotted in Russian-occupied territories. He did not specify when.“I believe they sent officers first to assess the situation before deploying troops,” Mr Zelensky said.
He has cautioned that the participation of a third country could escalate the conflict into a world war. US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said that it would be a “very, very serious issue” if Pyongyang indeed did join the war on Russia’s side.
“What exactly they’re doing — left to be seen,” Mr Austin said. Neither Mr Austin nor South Korean National Intelligence Service director Cho Tae-yong provided details about how they knew about the North Korean troops, and many questions surround the impact of North Korean participation.
Foreign troops would escalate Ukraine conflict, says Belarusian president
Thursday 24 October 2024 04:01
Arpan Rai
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, one of Vladimir Putin’s closest allies, said deploying any foreign forces in the Ukraine conflict would inevitably lead to an escalation.
The comments came as the US said for the first time it had seen evidence of North Korean troops in Russia and South Korean lawmakers said about 3,000 soldiers had been sent.
Mr Lukashenko dismissed the notion that North Korea had dispatched troops to be deployed alongside Russian forces in the more than two-and-a-half year old war in Ukraine.
“Rubbish,” Lukashenko told the BBC on the sidelines of the summit of the Brics grouping of nations. “Knowing his character Putin would never try to persuade another country to involve its army in Russia’s special operation in Ukraine.”
Deploying foreign troops, he said, “would be a step towards the escalation of the conflict if the armed forces of any country, even Belarus, were on the contact line.”
And that would prompt Ukraine’s allies to point to foreign involvement “so Nato troops would be deployed to Ukraine.”
