'There Are Some Countries That Will React To DPRK's Military In Ukraine'

• 15.10.2024, 15:22

The West can already prepare an answer.

Russia plans to "actually involve" North Korea in the war against Ukraine this winter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on October 14 during an evening address. Vladimir Putin submitted a bill to the State Duma on the ratification of the treaty "on comprehensive strategic partnership" between the Russian Federation and the DPRK.

Is this a propaganda move or is there really a threat that North Korea will join the war in Ukraine? Charter97.org spoke about this with Oleh Belokolos, Director of the Center for Research on National Resilience in Kyiv and former Counselor of the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada and Kenya:

— Judging by the latest information, North Korea has already joined the war by supplying ammunition to the Russian army. This can be considered as participation in the war.

As for the possible participation of the North Korean army in hostilities, so far this is only at the level of information. Officially, Kyiv voiced this as a warning addressed to the world community, South Korea, as well as Russia and North Korea, to show that there is certain information and we are following the developments.

Any movement of significant military forces across the border between Russia and North Korea will not go unnoticed. This well-known transition between the two countries is under surveillance, and information about it will become known even before the troops arrive at the front, if this happens.

— What kind of response can come from the West if it does happen?

— So far, it is difficult to say that there is any reaction to this. Here it is also worth paying attention to the fact that tensions have arisen on the border between the two Koreas, exceeding the usual level of hostility. It seems that there was some kind of meeting convened by Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, and perhaps, in the first place, we should expect a reaction to these events if there is an escalation.

Information about the participation of North Korean servicemen in hostilities against Ukraine remains at the level of a warning from official Kyiv. The reaction to this will depend on how events in this area develop, but it can definitely lead to an even greater escalation of the conflict, as they often say in the West.

If the situation moves to the implementation stage, Ukraine is likely to raise this issue at the United Nations. In this case, the first reaction may come from the countries that border the Russian aggressor in the West — Finland, Norway or the Baltic countries. Perhaps they are already preparing their response to what is happening.