US confirms North Korea’s involvement in combat operations… Kyodo: “Some North Korean soldiers died in combat”
High-altitude warfare intensifies… Macron worries about Trump violating European interests
U.S. Secretary of State visits Europe to discuss support for Ukraine and prepare for new policies for remaining term
Russian troops firing howitzers at Ukrainian troops in Kursk in late October
[AP=연합뉴스 자료사진. 재판매 및 DB 금지]
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Baek Na-ri = The attack by Russian and North Korean troops to retake Russia’s Kursk region from the Ukrainian army has begun in earnest.
With U.S. President-elect Donald Trump emphasizing the need for an early end to the war, both sides are intensifying their attacks to gain an advantage, and Europe is voicing caution about the idea of an early end to the war.
The U.S. State Department confirmed on the 12th (local time) that most of the more than 10,000 North Korean troops dispatched to eastern Russia moved to Kursk Oblast and began engaging in combat operations with the Russian military.
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Following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s announcement via Telegram the previous day that he was engaged in combat with about 50,000 enemy troops in Kursk, U.S. authorities also confirmed the start of the battle.
Japan’s Kyodo News, citing a high-ranking Ukrainian government official, reported that Russian and North Korean troops are engaged in a fierce battle with Ukraine in the Kursk region, and that North Korean soldiers have been killed in some areas.
The Russian military gathered in Kursk is approximately 45,000 to 50,000 strong and includes the 155th Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, the 810th Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet, paratroopers, special forces, and an attack battalion, said Vadim Misnik, spokesman for the Northern Strategic Operations Group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This was revealed to local media outlet RigaNet.
This is estimated to include approximately 12,000 North Korean troops. Spokesperson Misnik explained that the Russian military is attacking every 10 to 15 minutes and is continuing to fight at an intensified level despite the continued casualties.
The battle between Russian and North Korean troops to recapture Kursk appears to be speeding up in line with President-elect Trump’s re-election victory.
There is a high possibility that President-elect Trump, who has called for an early end to the war, will immediately intervene in ceasefire negotiations when he takes office on January 20th next year, so it is predicted that Russia and Ukraine will likely engage in a large-scale offensive and defense for about two months to gain as much advantage as possible.
In particular, since President-elect Trump indicated during the presidential election that he would end the war based on the ‘current border’, it is imperative for both Russia and Ukraine to increase their security coverage even by an inch.
From Russia’s perspective, the most urgent priority is to recapture Kursk, a city inside the mainland where Ukrainian forces invaded last August.
The Ukrainian military is also waging an all-out war. Russian media outlet Tsargrad reported that villages presumed to have been recaptured by Russian troops are back in the hands of Ukrainian troops.
Estimated North Korean troops receiving supplies released by Ukrainian authorities
[서울=연합뉴스 자료사진] On October 18 (local time), a video released by the Strategic Communication and Information Security Center (SPRAVDI) under the Ministry of Culture and Information of Ukraine shows soldiers presumed to be North Korean soldiers standing in line to receive Russian supplies. 2024.10.21 [우크라군 전략소통·정보보안센터 X캡처. 재판매 및 DB금지] photo@yna.co.kr
Europe emphasized the need for alliance-level support for Ukraine and sent a message warning of President-elect Trump’s calls for an early end to the war.
Marc Rutte, Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), held a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, and emphasized the need to maintain a strong transatlantic alliance.
President Macron said, “The recent deployment of North Korean troops to the front line is a serious situation,” and pointed out, “Nothing should be decided about Ukraine without Ukrainians or about Europe without Europeans. This is the only path toward negotiations.”
It is interpreted that President-elect Trump, who is close to President Vladimir Putin, was wary of a situation in which the interests of Ukraine and other European countries could be harmed by an attempt to end the war early in a direction favorable to Russia.
President-elect Trump has been pressuring NATO members to increase their defense spending burden and has also shown skepticism about the Joe Biden administration’s military support for Ukraine.
President-elect Trump has never presented a concrete plan to end the war in Ukraine. However, the US daily Wall Street Journal reported on the 6th that President-elect Trump’s advisers are discussing a plan to end the war, including postponing Ukraine’s accession to NATO for at least 20 years and creating a demilitarized zone while freezing the current front lines.
U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken headed to Brussels, Belgium on this day. The State Department said it was to discuss support for Ukraine with NATO and European Union (EU) allies until the 13th.
It is expected that discussions will be held on Ukraine’s response to the Russian and North Korean forces’ intensifying war to recapture Kursk and future cooperation plans between the U.S. and European alliances following President-elect Trump’s retaking of the White House.
nari@yna.co.kr
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2024/11/13 10:10 Sent
