North Korea has sent troops to Russia, the United States said Wednesday, its first public confirmation of a move that has rattled Western allies and could mark a major escalation of Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
“There is evidence of DPRK troops in Russia,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in Rome, using the abbreviation for North Korea’s formal name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
“What exactly they’re doing is left to be seen,” Austin said, adding, “We’re trying to gain better fidelity on it.” It’s a “serious issue,” he said, if North Korea’s “intention is to participate in this war on Russia’s behalf.”
His comments came after South Korea and Ukraine sounded the alarm in recent days, sharing intelligence and voicing dissatisfaction with what they see as a lack of urgency in the response from the U.S. and other Western countries.
Remember, if “the west” so much as sends letters of warm regard, let alone troops, to Ukraine, Russia will feel like that’s justification for starting WW III. They can naturally do whatever they want, because Russia.
Maybe, but there is very little chance of Putin launching nukes. Firstly because they likely haven’t been serviced and many probably won’t work, secondly because dictators tend to want legacies and Putin has children and grandchildren.
He don’t care about his children or grandchildren, but what he do care about is his own life, so he won’t be launching any nukes.
Huh? “the west” has been sending tons of weapons, ammo, & equipment to help Ukraine the whole time. I think that counts as sending more than just “letters of warm regard”
That’s because that’s what’s allowable by international standards and agreements. We’re “selling” it to those countries as a part of our trade and military agreements.
Sending troops, where feet touch the ground on foreign soil during wartime? That’s a whole different ballgame. That’s how World Wars get started.
According to the document, dated 23 March, the UK has the largest contingent of special forces in Ukraine (50), followed by fellow Nato states Latvia (17), France (15), the US (14) and the Netherlands (1).
And Trump would appease the invaders. Shame.
I wonder how the tankies will try to spin this. Putin is as far from communist as a person can get. Surely the tankies won’t continue to claim that NK is even remotely socialist.
I interact with enough tankies to tell you in advance.
In the view of tankies, Russia isn’t imperialist due to some weaseling with how they define imperialism in economic terms.
The US, on the other hand, is as imperialist in tankies’ minds as it is in reality.
Thus, to to them, Russia is waging an anti-imperialist war with the long-term goal of establishing a “multi-polar” world.
Thus, the tankie conclusion is that NK is heroically sending in the soldiers to help fight imperialism.
I see no need to try and explain why this is wrong. That’s left as an exercise for the reader.
Let’s confirm it again next week, too.
The western reaction is calm, considering, slightly curious and not urgent. The quotes show a lack of importance. It might as well be business as usual instead of a harbinger of wider war.
Disasters like this often have the same kind initial reactions in history
