The World Opinion

Tag: Russia

  • US Reveals 10,000 North Korean Soldiers In Russia, Zelenskyy Questions China’s Silence | world news

    US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken recently made a striking revelation, stating that around 10,000 North Korean soldiers are currently stationed in Russia, with approximately 8,000 of them deployed in the Kursk region. He also exaggerated that while these troops have not yet been engaged in combat against Ukrainian forces, he anticipates their involvement in the coming days.

    During a press conference with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Republic of Korea Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul, and Republic of Korea Minister of Defense Kim Yong-hyun on Thursday, Blinken said, “We now assess that there and recent information indicates that as many as 8,000 of those North Korean forces have been deployed in the Kursk region. that to happen in the coming days.”

    He added, “Russia has been training Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) soldiers in artillery, UAVs, and basic infantry operations, indicating that they fully intend to use these forces in front-line operations. Should these troops engage in combat or combat -support operations against Ukraine, they would become legitimate military.”

    The US Secretary of State issued a strong condemnation of Russia, asserting that President Vladimir Putin is “throwing Russians in a meat grinder” and is now seeking support from North Korea is a “clear sign of weakness.”

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also responded to the situation by highlighting the involvement of North Korean soldiers in the conflict. He shared a post on and said, “They are even bringing in North Korean soldiers because they lack sufficient forces of their own. Our strategy has been to counter their attempts to invade and kill our people in northern Ukraine near Sumy. We made a preemptive move to prevent this, denying them the opportunity to inflict harm.”

    Zelenskyy also spoke about China on the current situation and added, “North Korea’s actions aren’t random; they have strategic goals. I’m surprised by China’s silence. I can’t say that China is on our side, but as a regional security guarantor, its silence is striking.” He added, “It may be time for an Asian Security Alliance. Both Japan and South Korea are strong, civilized nations, and reaching out to China could be essential in countering North Korea’s aggression, as North Korea is actively pulling that region into a war. Their actions aren’t coincidental–they want Russia’s support in return.”

    (With ANI Inputs)

  • Russia Repels Massive Ukrainian Drone Attack Overnight: Defense Ministry | world news

    MOSCOW: The Russian air defense has intercepted and destroyed 158 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions over the past night, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. UAVs were shot down over more than a dozen Russian regions, according to a statement issued by the Ministry on Sunday morning.

    Nine of the downed drones targeted Moscow and the Moscow region, the statement said, adding that 46 drones were destroyed over the Kursk region, 34 over Bryansk, 28 over Voronezh, and 14 over Belgorod. Several more were shot down over nine other Russian regions. The drones shot down have resulted in a fire in a Moscow refinery and at a power plant in the Tver region neighboring Moscow, local officials said as reported by Xinhua news agency. The authorities further said the fire in both regions had been contained, and no injuries were reported.

    Moscow was also the target of an attack, with seven drones shot down over the Moscow region and two more above the capital itself, the statement added as reported by RT. According to the Ministry, eight UAVs were destroyed in the Ryazan region, five in the Kaluga region, four in the Lipetsk region, and three in the Tula region.

    One or two drones were also shot down above the Tambov, Smolensk, Orel, Tver, and Ivanovo regions, it added. Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin said that at least 11 drones were destroyed near or inside the capital during the Ukrainian raid. Two UAVs were shot down in the vicinity of the Moscow Oil Refinery in the southeast of the city, he said.

    One of the unmanned aircraft crashed into an engineering building, the mayor noted, adding that the firefighters were extinguishing the blaze. Three UAVs also targeted the Kashira State District Power Plant, according to the Moscow region’s Kashira city district chief, Mikhail Shuvalov. There were no casualties or damage, he added.

    Kyiv intensified its plane-type drone incursions into Russia in January, mainly targeting energy infrastructure, but also hitting residential areas. Moscow responded by adding Ukrainian power plants to its list of legitimate military targets. Most of Ukraine’s non-nuclear generation capacity has been disabled or destroyed by Russian strikes since then.

    A major Ukrainian UAV attack on Russian territory took place in mid-August and saw 117 UAVs destroyed by air defenses. Another raid, just over a week ago, involved 45 drones, with 11 of them targeting Moscow, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

  • Could China’s Growing Nuclear Arsenal Become a Concern for Other Countries? ,

    SOLNA: The Chinese nuclear arsenal has increased from 410 warheads to 500 warheads within a year, claimed The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in its 55th yearbook 2024. SIPRI, an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control, and disarmament in its report stated that “the estimated size of China’s nuclear arsenal increased from 410 warheads in January 2023 to 500 in January 2024, and it is expected to keep growing.”

    It further mentioned that for the first time, China may also now be deploying a small number of warheads on missiles during peacetime. Depending on how it decides to structure its forces, China could potentially have at least as many intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as either Russia or the USA by the turn of the decade.

    ‘China is expanding its nuclear arsenal faster than any other country, but in nearly all of the nuclear-armed states there are either plans or a significant push to increase nuclear forces.” stated, Associate Senior Fellow with SIPRI, Hans M. Kristensen.

    China is likely to have a significantly smaller total nuclear weapons arsenal than either the United States or Russia, but due to its rapid deployment, it may eventually catch up to them in terms of active armament in the years to come, according to SIPRI.

    According to SIPRI, there are over 2,100 nuclear missiles that are thought to be in use and under control at any given time, practically all of which are possessed by the United States or Russia.

    China is increasing its weapons at a time when tensions across the world are rising due to the hostilities in Taiwan and the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine. China has been holding more military exercises close to Taiwan in the past year, which some observers interpret as preparation for an invasion of the disputed territory, The Hill reported.

    According to SIPRI, the majority of nations are expanding or modernising their stockpiles at the same time as the nuclear buildup. According to the institute, Israel, which does not formally recognise that it possesses nuclear weapons, is said to have moved to modernise its stockpile, while North Korea, France, and India have taken steps to increase their armaments in the past year.

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in North Korea for his first visit in 24 years |

    WASHINGTON: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in North Korea on Wednesday morning (local time) on his first official visit to the East Asian nation in 24 years and is expected to meet with his counterpart Kim Jong Un, CNN reported. This is a rare overseas trip for Putin since he launched the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and a key moment for Kim, who has not hosted another world leader in his politically isolated country since the COVID-19 pandemic.

    This visit comes after North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un extended an invitation to Putin in September 2023. Putin last visited Pyongyang in July 2000 and this trip is a sign of the two countries’ deepening alignment and Moscow’s need to source weapons from Pyongyang to sustain its war on Ukraine, reported CNN.

    Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov also commented on his trip to North Korea during a press conference Monday and stated that his trip will have an eventful agenda. Both leaders plan to sign a new strategic partnership. Ushakov insisted the agreement is not provocative or aimed against other countries, but is meant to ensure greater stability in northeast Asia. He said the new agreement will replace documents signed between Moscow and Pyongyang in 1961, 2000 and 2001.

    Putin arrives in North Korea on first state visit for over 20 years. Both of them thinking “finally someone as short as me” when they saw each other. They’re a perfect 69.

    Getting desperate isn’t he. It’s like asking your neighbour for a cup of sugar. But it’s the neighbour who… pic.twitter.com/FClY7Oe5M6 — Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) June 18, 2024

    The streets of Pyongyang were decorated with Russian flags and posters of Vladimir Putin ahead of his early Wednesday morning arrival, his first visit to North Korea since 2000. Putin’s visit will be closely watched across the world and is expected to cement further the burgeoning partnership between the two powers that is founded on their shared animosity toward the West and driven by Moscow’s need for munitions for its war in Ukraine.

    Following his visit to North Korea, Putin is scheduled to travel to Hanoi in a display of Communist-governed Vietnam’s ties to Russia that is likely to rankle the United States. Regarding Putin’s visit US national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday the Biden administration wasn’t “concerned about the trip” itself, but added, “What we are concerned about is the deepening relationship between these two countries.”

    The US, South Korea and other countries have accused North Korea of ​​providing substantial military aid to Russia’s war effort in recent months, while observers have raised concerns that Moscow may be violating international sanctions to aid Pyongyang’s development of its nascent military satellite program. Both countries have denied arms transfer.

    Putin’s trip reciprocates one Kim made last September, when the North Korean leader travelled in his armoured train to Russia’s far eastern region, for a visit that included stops at a factory that produces fighter jets and a rocket-launch facility.

  • Trouble For Putin? France, Germany back Ukraine’s right to target Russian bases with weapons |

    BERLIN: France and Germany issued a joint statement on Tuesday, advocating for Ukraine’s right to utilise their weaponry to target Russian bases, which they allege are launching attacks on Ukrainian soil, CNN reported. French President Emmanuel Macron, during a press conference alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, emphasised that weapons supplied to Ukraine, including long-range missiles, are authorised to target Russian bases.

    “Ukrainian soil is being attacked from bases in Russia,” Macron declared during his visit to Schloss Meseberg in Brandenburg, Germany. “So how do we explain to the Ukrainians that we’re going to have to protect these towns and basically everything we’re seeing around Kharkiv at the moment, if we tell them you are not allowed to hit the point from which the missiles are fired?”

    “We think that we should allow them to neutralise the military sites from which the missiles are fired and, basically, the military sites from which Ukraine is attacked,” Macron continued, as reported by CNN. However, Macron stressed the importance of not allowing strikes on non-military or civilian targets in Russia.

    German Chancellor Olaf Scholz echoed Macron’s sentiments, affirming that Ukraine has the right to defend itself within the parameters set by the countries that have provided the weapons and international law. “Ukraine has every possibility under international law for what it is doing. That has to be said explicitly,” Scholz asserted. “I find it strange when some people argue that it should not be allowed to defend itself and take measures that are suitable for this.”

    The Western stance on the usage of donated weapons by Ukraine has long been contentious, with concerns among Western leaders that such actions could escalate violence and potentially draw NATO into a broader conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has consistently sought permission from his allies to extend the use of provided weapons to target Russian territory.

    The United States, Ukraine’s largest arms supplier, has previously refrained from endorsing Ukrainian strikes inside Russian territory due to concerns about escalation. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hinted at a possible shift in policy, indicating that the US would continue to adapt its support for Ukraine in response to changing conditions.

    “We’re always listening. We’re always learning, and we’re always making determinations about what’s necessary to make sure that Ukraine can effectively continue to defend itself,” Blinken stated. Despite this, Blinken reiterated that, at present, the US has not sanctioned Ukrainian strikes into Russian territory with US-provided weaponry.

    France has equipped Ukraine with SCALP cruise missiles, whose capabilities include a range of up to 155 kilometers (96 miles) and a 400-kilogram (881-pound) high-explosive penetration warhead. “The SCALP missiles have been provided to Ukraine with specific guidelines,” Macron emphasised. “They are intended solely for targeting military installations from which attacks are launched into Ukrainian territory.”

    In a similar vein, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron affirmed Ukraine’s right to use the weaponry supplied to defend itself against Russian aggression. “In terms of what the Ukrainians do, in our view it is their decision about how to use these weapons, they are defending their country,” Cameron remarked during a visit to Kyiv. “We don’t discuss any caveats that we put on those things. But let’s be absolutely clear: Russia has launched an attack into Ukraine, and Ukraine absolutely has the right to strike back at Russia.”

    Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, contended that Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons necessitates significant NATO support, which could potentially lead to a global conflict, according to CNN. “Long-range precision weapons cannot be used without space-based reconnaissance,” Putin asserted during a state visit to Uzbekistan. “Final target selection or launch mission for Western systems need to be made by highly skilled specialists who rely on this reconnaissance data.”

    “Officials from NATO countries, especially those based in Europe, should be fully aware of what is at stake,” Putin cautioned. “They should keep in mind that theirs are small and densely populated countries, which is a factor to reckon with before they start talking about striking deep into Russian territory.”

    Despite the tensions, Ukraine received pledges of support from Belgium and Spain, with both countries agreeing to supply military equipment to Kyiv. Belgium committed to providing 30 F-16 fighter jets over the next four years, while Spain announced a $1.08 billion weapons deal for Ukraine. These agreements underscored a broader coalition of Western nations standing in solidarity with Ukraine against Russian aggression. Alongside Belgium and Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Denmark, Finland, and Canada have also signed security agreements, affirming their commitment to supporting Ukraine’s defence efforts, CNN reported.

  • Who Are Nikolai Patrushev, Anton Vaino And Aleksey Dyumin, Russian Officials With New Responsibilities in President Vladimir Putin’s Government? , world news

    Amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis, President Vladimir Putin is reshuffling people in his official circle. While Putin replaced his army chief days ago, he has now demoted one of the key aides while promoting two younger officials. President Vladimir Putin demoted Nikolai Patrushev to a job overseeing the shipbuilding industry, he elevated two younger lieutenants to senior Kremlin posts.

    Who Is Nikolai Patrushev?

    Nikolai Patrushev is a Cold War warrior who crafted the Kremlin’s national security strategy for a long time and was considered close to President Putin. According to Reuters, Patrushev also served in KGB – the Russian spy agency. Patrushev was moved from the heart of the modern-day politburo to oversee shipbuilding after serving as secretary of the Security Council for 16 years.

    Who Is Alexey Dyumin?

    President Vladimir Putin promoted Aleksey Dyumin to oversee a key Kremlin job. Dyumin was one of the bodyguards of Putin. Dyumin has been brought into the Kremlin after serving as a regional governor of Russia’s Tula region. As per the promotion, he would now oversee the defense industry, the State Council advisory body and sport.

    According to Reuters, Dyumin entered Russia’s Federal Guards Service (FSO), which ensures the security of the Kremlin elite, in 1995 and guarded Putin during his first and second terms. He has also worked as deputy head of the GRU (Russian military intelligence). As per experts of the Russian political circle and Kremlin insiders, many believe Putin sees Dyumin as his successor.

    Other Reshuffles

    Vladimir Putin retained Anton Vaino, 52, as chief of staff and Alexei Gromov, 63, and Sergei Kiriyenko, 61, as first deputy chiefs of staff and elevated Maxim Oreshkin, 41, to deputy chief of staff. Patrushev’s 46-year-old son, Dmitry, was, however, promoted to the job of deputy prime minister in charge of agriculture. Oreshkin, born only nine years before the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, was promoted from Kremlin economic aide to the job of deputy chief of staff.

    In the government, Denis Manturov, 55, was given the role of first deputy prime minister and will run industry while Alexander Novak, 52, will remain as deputy prime minister overseeing energy but will get additional duties for running the economy.

  • Russia Slams US For Alleging India’s Role In Pannun’s Foiled Murder Plot, Says ‘No Reliable Evidence…’ world news

    The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday dismissed the US’s allegations against India for a foiled assassination plot against pro-Khalistan radical Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, saying that Washington has not yet provided any reliable evidence of Indian citizens’ involvement in the case. “According to the information we have, Washington has yet to provide any credible evidence of Indian citizens’ involvement in the planning of the murder of a certain GS Pannun.

    “Speculation on this topic in the absence of evidence is unacceptable,” said Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokeswoman, during a briefing on Wednesday. She said that the United States does not understand the national mentality or the historical context of the Indian state’s development, and that it disrespects India as a state.

    Zakharova’s remarks came in response to a media question about Moscow’s reaction to allegations against an Indian official of a foiled “assassination” plot, and the American news publication ‘The Washington Post’ stating that India is attempting to do the same as Russia and Saudi Arabia. against its opponent.

    “I believe ‘The Washington Post’ should use the term “repressive regime” and everything you quoted about Washington. It is difficult to imagine a more repressive regime than Washington, both domestically and internationally. Now, directly to your question,” she added. .

    “Regular unfounded accusations by the US against New Delhi (we see that they falsely accuse not only India but also many other states) of violating religious freedoms reflect the US’ misunderstanding of the national mentality, the historical context of the development of the Indian state. , and disrespect for India as a state,” she stated.

    “This doesn’t just apply to India. The reason is a desire to destabilize India’s internal political situation in order to complicate the upcoming general elections. This is an example of interference in India’s internal affairs,” she said.

    In April, the External Affairs Ministry rejected a report in The Washington Post that named an Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) official as being involved in the alleged plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States.

    Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), described the US media report as “speculative and irresponsible” and described it as an “unwarranted and unsubstantiated” imputation on a “serious matter” that is being investigated.

  • Zelenskyy Fires More Aides In A Reshuffle As Russia Launches Drones And Missiles Across Ukraine | world news

    KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed a longtime aide and several advisers on Saturday in a continuing reshuffle while Russia unleashed fresh attacks overnight. Zelenskyy dismissed top aide Serhiy Shefir from his post of first assistant, where he had served since 2019. The Ukrainian president also let go three advisers, and two presidential representatives overseeing volunteer activities and soldiers’ rights.

    No explanation was given immediately for the latest changes in a wide-reaching personnel shakeup over recent months. It included the dismissal on Tuesday of Oleksii Danilov, who served as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and Valerii Zaluzhnyi as head of the armed forces on Feb. 8. He was appointed Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom earlier this month.

    Ukraine’s air force said Saturday that Russia launched 12 Shahed drones overnight, nine of which were shot down, and fired four missiles into eastern Ukraine. Russia unleashed a barrage of 38 missiles, 75 airstrikes and 98 attacks from multiple rocket launchers over the last 24 hours, Ukraine’s armed forces said in social media posts.

    Ukrainian energy company Centrenergo announced Saturday that the Zmiiv Thermal Power Plant, one of the largest thermal power plants in the eastern Kharkiv region, was completely destroyed following Russian shelling last week. Power outage schedules were still in place for around 120,000 people in the region, where 700,000 people had lost electricity after the plant was hit on March 22.

    Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in recent days, causing significant damage in several regions. Officials in the Poltava region said Saturday there had been “several hits” to an infrastructure facility, without specifying whether it was an energy facility.

    Meanwhile, the toll of Friday’s mass barrage of 99 drones and missiles hitting regions across Ukraine came to light on Saturday, with local officials in the Kherson region on Saturday morning announcing the death of one civilian. A resident of the Dnipropetrovsk region died in a hospital from shell wounds, according to regional Gov. Serhiy Lisak.

  • Russia Vetoes UN Resolution On North Korea Sanctions Amid Ukraine War | world news

    New York: Russia exercised its veto power at the United Nations on Thursday, blocking a resolution aimed at renewing an independent panel of experts tasked with investigating North Korea’s violations of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions, CNN reported. This move comes amid heightened tensions between Moscow and the West over the conflict in Ukraine, with North Korea emerging as a significant supplier of munitions to Russia.

    Overseeing a substantial expansion of Pyongyang’s ballistic missile program, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has conducted numerous tests, including those of long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the mainland United States. Historically, Russia has supported international sanctions and UN investigations into North Korea’s illegal weapons program, according to CNN.

    However, the dynamics have shifted amid the Ukraine crisis, leading to increased reliance on North Korea for munitions by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, justified the veto by asserting that the UN sanctions on North Korea are losing relevance and detached from reality. He criticized the sanctions’ efficacy since their inception in 2006, arguing that they have not achieved their intended goals or contributed to a positive change on the Korean Peninsula. Nebenzia highlighted Russia’s concerns about a coalition of countries, led by the US, seeking to strangle Pyongyang, which directly impacts Russia’s national security interests.

    Despite the prohibition on arms transfers to or from North Korea under UN sanctions, the Kim regime has emerged as a significant supplier of weapons to aid Russia’s efforts in Ukraine. South Korea’s defense minister revealed that North Korean munitions factories are operating at full capacity to supply armaments to Russia, including millions of artillery shells. Furthermore, Ukraine has reported discovering debris from North Korean-made ballistic missiles following attacks on its targets, as reported by CNN.

    The vote in the 15-member Security Council saw 13 members in favor of renewing the panel of experts’ work, with Russia opposing and China abstaining. However, Russia’s veto power ultimately led to the resolution’s failure.

    The British Ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward, expressed deep concern over the Russian veto, emphasizing its detrimental impact on North Korean people and the effectiveness of sanctions. She accused Russia of seeking freedom to evade and breach sanctions for its weapons procurement, undermining the integrity of the international non-proliferation regime and the Council’s credibility.

    US Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, condemned Russia’s action, questioning how a civilized nation could block the approval.

    He stressed that while the panel of experts may have been silenced temporarily, advocates for a robust nonproliferation regime would persist. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry also criticized Russia’s decision as irresponsible, further highlighting the international backlash against Moscow’s move, CNN reported.

  • Moscow Attackers Had Escape Window Ready On Ukrainian Side, Claims Putin | world news

    New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday claimed that the Moscow City Hall attackers were trying to flee to Ukraine and alleged that some people tried to assist the assailants from the other side of the border.

    In his address to the nation, Putin claimed that 4 attackers were detained while they were moving towards the Ukraine border and a window was prepared for their escape. However, Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack.

    “They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border,” Putin said.

    Putin said 11 people had been detained, including the four gunmen. Putin further said that the Russian agencies would do everything to identify the assailants and find out those who have organized this attack and punish them.

    “All the perpetrators, organizers and those who ordered this crime will be justly and inevitably punished. Whoever they are, whoever is guiding them,” Putin said. “We will identify and punish everyone who stands behind the terrorists, who prepared this atrocity, this strike against Russia, against our people.”

    Vladimir Putin said a day of mourning would be observed on March 24.

    Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 133 and over 120 people were reported to be wounded after a group of gunmen attacked Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow on Friday. The ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.