When one side opens the door to external involvement, it shouldn’t feign outrage when the other walks through it. Ukraine leveraged NATO support to push into Russian territory; so it’s only natural that Russia would call in a reliable partner to stabilize its own borders. That’s not escalation. It’s equilibrium. Moscow’s message is clear: if the West insists on blurring red lines, others will start redrawing the map.
I would argue that the West already had enough signal intelligence evidence for NK - so Russia's admission of NK involvement was more about having more of the cards lying on the table openly. It improves the negotiation posture. Because the other side is then less likely to assume Russia's lacking manpower. Moreover, there is an implicit threat Russia could start training Iranian Revolutionary Guards at battlefield conditions too.
NATO countries had been imposingban illegal air-naval blockade on North Korea for quite a long time under the euphemistic pretext of "sanctions". North Korean women working as full-time tailors with firms based in South East Asia which are OEM suppliers to European fashion brands, had not been paid their salaries for more than a year because western sanctions banned every country from allowing "north korean citizens to become conduits for trafficking hard currency into North Korea". Countries like Singapore were exploiting North Korean workers.
At the same time, in its trademark hypocrisy, the Western sanctions cartel had been demanding of North Korea to lift bans on export of fish, and injunctions debarring the egress of labourers to foreign lands from that country, some of which have been in. place since the Covid pandemic. What is worse, even countries of such low global geopolitical footprint as Canada had been engaging in maritime patrols off the coast of North Korea using warplanes to inspect compliance with sanctions, and harassing outbound North Korean passenger flights as well as shipping. Now, all of that is slated to change, and the likes of Canada have already made an undignified exit from the scene, thanks to a salvo of warning shots fired from Russian military aircraft which had arrived on scene to break the deadlock in the western Pacific between North Korea and its tormentors from afar.
North Korean expats are very hardworking, and keep to themselves without concerning themselves with the politics of countries hosting them. North Korean scientists and technicians are exceptionally gifted, and can be of great avail to Russia in the large scale industrialisation immanent in the sprint towards self reliance that Russia is slated to embark on very soon. A friend in need is a friend in deed, and the friendship between Russia and DPRK North Korea has stood the test of times.
In general, I agree. I think the gesture is more for the West than the Ukrainians. Not only can Americans boost Satanyahu, Russia can also prop up Kim's North Korea. Israel uses American-made munitions to bomb all over the Middle East. North Korea did not use ICBMs derived from Russian help to bomb anyone, yet. As for test firing, well, Americans test their missiles to fly across more than half of the Pacific. Maybe North Korea now has a better footing to talk to DJT, such that both Kim and Trump can claim a small victory. The hawks in SK can stand down and watch their ex-President on trial for announcing an unauthorized martial law.
(Minor issue, begin quote) Russia might make a major push in Sumy, Kharkov, and/or even Dniepropetrovsk regions, all universally recognized as Ukrainian, (end quote). This sentence is meant to say these regions are within the 1991 Ukrainian border at the USSR dissolution. However, from the ethnic and cultural background, Kharkov and Dniepropetrovsk are clearly Russian-tilt, and perhaps Sumy as well.
The 1991 Ukrainian border is somewhat synthetic because the CPSU was adding to the Ukrainian territory during the late phase of the civil war (1922), and then after WW2 (1954). Before 1922 no-one thought of Kharkov or Donbass as Ukrainian, and before 1954, the same applied to Crimea. So probably, the Eastern border of the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth prior to Khmelnitzky rebellion in 1648/49 marks the Eastern-most border of Ur-Ukraine. Everything to the East of that is REALLY Russian, Kossak or originally Turkish/Tatar followed by Russian conquest - ie Novorossiya.
The mistake the U.S. made in relation to North Korea is that the country was pushed to the extreme with sanctions and they have nothing to lose now. This absurdly harsh treatment was traditionally measured out there since the early 1950s. During the Korean War the North was bombed so extensively that at one point the US pilots started returning with their bomb loads, reporting there was nothing else standing in the country worth bombing anymore. There were also reports that various poisons were used. And now, against all odds, North Korea is a credible nuclear power with a large army, industry and a need for fossil fuels and raw materials. Russia can supply most of these needs and yes, the North can send an army of 30 or even 50 thousand fighters to Ukraine. They can rotate their soldiers and use Ukraine to train them into first class 21st century combatants.
As far as Trump’s threats to double up Ukraine donations, that would be contrary to his real goal to pivot toward China. He might use this threat but he is unlikely to apply it in a lasting manner. His long term strategy calls for mitigating the confrontation with Russia to at least pacify that country in case of a future move against China.
I think it’s really important to be upfront about the military deals between Russia and North Korea; especially since both are nuclear powers and their agreements seem to include mutual defense. The exact details of their cooperation are still murky, and nothing official has been fully made public.
What we do know is that in June 2024, Russia and North Korea signed a new “Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.” One of the most serious parts of this deal is a mutual defense clause, meaning they’ve agreed to help each other if either one is attacked. It also opens the door for joint work on military tech, science, and industrial development; which could seriously boost North Korea’s missile programs.Some in Ukraine and NATO have tried to frame this partnership as a sort of “mercenary” relationship suggesting North Korea is just providing manpower in exchange for benefits but that really misses the bigger picture. This isn’t just about soldiers. It is a full-on strategic alliance.
Andrew, do we know for sure that this was first suggested by Russia? I have read a few reprots indicating the opposites causality: DPRK suggested this during ttheir discussions on artillery shells, Russia considered and accepted their proposal.
Maybe, but I suspect North Korea is doing much more useful things by helping secure Russia's rump in the Far East, pinning down Japan and South Korea both. The later was going to be thrown against China which would isolate all three of these(or at least that's what the Washington neo-con morons hope) on the world stage. What's a mangled South Korea to the USA? There's a simple reason Russia will never return the Kuril Islands to Japan, and was doing a Ukraine style negotiation with Japan. Where do Eastern Fleet Russian Submarines pass through on their way to Artic?
It's always good to have allies, I suppose, when so much of the world covets all your resources as much as it does. But there is nothing edifying about cozying up to this psychopath, and it feeds into a negative image of Putin and Russia when Russia does so. It also undermines the image of Russia as a powerful country when it apparently needs to rely on such an ally to assist its defense. Not a fan of the decision to do anything but purchase munitions.
When one side opens the door to external involvement, it shouldn’t feign outrage when the other walks through it. Ukraine leveraged NATO support to push into Russian territory; so it’s only natural that Russia would call in a reliable partner to stabilize its own borders. That’s not escalation. It’s equilibrium. Moscow’s message is clear: if the West insists on blurring red lines, others will start redrawing the map.
Fair has nothing to do with it.
I would argue that the West already had enough signal intelligence evidence for NK - so Russia's admission of NK involvement was more about having more of the cards lying on the table openly. It improves the negotiation posture. Because the other side is then less likely to assume Russia's lacking manpower. Moreover, there is an implicit threat Russia could start training Iranian Revolutionary Guards at battlefield conditions too.
NATO countries had been imposingban illegal air-naval blockade on North Korea for quite a long time under the euphemistic pretext of "sanctions". North Korean women working as full-time tailors with firms based in South East Asia which are OEM suppliers to European fashion brands, had not been paid their salaries for more than a year because western sanctions banned every country from allowing "north korean citizens to become conduits for trafficking hard currency into North Korea". Countries like Singapore were exploiting North Korean workers.
At the same time, in its trademark hypocrisy, the Western sanctions cartel had been demanding of North Korea to lift bans on export of fish, and injunctions debarring the egress of labourers to foreign lands from that country, some of which have been in. place since the Covid pandemic. What is worse, even countries of such low global geopolitical footprint as Canada had been engaging in maritime patrols off the coast of North Korea using warplanes to inspect compliance with sanctions, and harassing outbound North Korean passenger flights as well as shipping. Now, all of that is slated to change, and the likes of Canada have already made an undignified exit from the scene, thanks to a salvo of warning shots fired from Russian military aircraft which had arrived on scene to break the deadlock in the western Pacific between North Korea and its tormentors from afar.
North Korean expats are very hardworking, and keep to themselves without concerning themselves with the politics of countries hosting them. North Korean scientists and technicians are exceptionally gifted, and can be of great avail to Russia in the large scale industrialisation immanent in the sprint towards self reliance that Russia is slated to embark on very soon. A friend in need is a friend in deed, and the friendship between Russia and DPRK North Korea has stood the test of times.
In general, I agree. I think the gesture is more for the West than the Ukrainians. Not only can Americans boost Satanyahu, Russia can also prop up Kim's North Korea. Israel uses American-made munitions to bomb all over the Middle East. North Korea did not use ICBMs derived from Russian help to bomb anyone, yet. As for test firing, well, Americans test their missiles to fly across more than half of the Pacific. Maybe North Korea now has a better footing to talk to DJT, such that both Kim and Trump can claim a small victory. The hawks in SK can stand down and watch their ex-President on trial for announcing an unauthorized martial law.
(Minor issue, begin quote) Russia might make a major push in Sumy, Kharkov, and/or even Dniepropetrovsk regions, all universally recognized as Ukrainian, (end quote). This sentence is meant to say these regions are within the 1991 Ukrainian border at the USSR dissolution. However, from the ethnic and cultural background, Kharkov and Dniepropetrovsk are clearly Russian-tilt, and perhaps Sumy as well.
The 1991 Ukrainian border is somewhat synthetic because the CPSU was adding to the Ukrainian territory during the late phase of the civil war (1922), and then after WW2 (1954). Before 1922 no-one thought of Kharkov or Donbass as Ukrainian, and before 1954, the same applied to Crimea. So probably, the Eastern border of the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth prior to Khmelnitzky rebellion in 1648/49 marks the Eastern-most border of Ur-Ukraine. Everything to the East of that is REALLY Russian, Kossak or originally Turkish/Tatar followed by Russian conquest - ie Novorossiya.
The mistake the U.S. made in relation to North Korea is that the country was pushed to the extreme with sanctions and they have nothing to lose now. This absurdly harsh treatment was traditionally measured out there since the early 1950s. During the Korean War the North was bombed so extensively that at one point the US pilots started returning with their bomb loads, reporting there was nothing else standing in the country worth bombing anymore. There were also reports that various poisons were used. And now, against all odds, North Korea is a credible nuclear power with a large army, industry and a need for fossil fuels and raw materials. Russia can supply most of these needs and yes, the North can send an army of 30 or even 50 thousand fighters to Ukraine. They can rotate their soldiers and use Ukraine to train them into first class 21st century combatants.
As far as Trump’s threats to double up Ukraine donations, that would be contrary to his real goal to pivot toward China. He might use this threat but he is unlikely to apply it in a lasting manner. His long term strategy calls for mitigating the confrontation with Russia to at least pacify that country in case of a future move against China.
Trump's nothing to gain by increasing weapons pipeline to Ukraine. It costs money and EU is not going to pay for it.
I think it’s really important to be upfront about the military deals between Russia and North Korea; especially since both are nuclear powers and their agreements seem to include mutual defense. The exact details of their cooperation are still murky, and nothing official has been fully made public.
What we do know is that in June 2024, Russia and North Korea signed a new “Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.” One of the most serious parts of this deal is a mutual defense clause, meaning they’ve agreed to help each other if either one is attacked. It also opens the door for joint work on military tech, science, and industrial development; which could seriously boost North Korea’s missile programs.Some in Ukraine and NATO have tried to frame this partnership as a sort of “mercenary” relationship suggesting North Korea is just providing manpower in exchange for benefits but that really misses the bigger picture. This isn’t just about soldiers. It is a full-on strategic alliance.
Andrew, do we know for sure that this was first suggested by Russia? I have read a few reprots indicating the opposites causality: DPRK suggested this during ttheir discussions on artillery shells, Russia considered and accepted their proposal.
Not related at all to your OP, but I hope Lavelle at RT can book you soon to speak about the tensions between India and Pakistan.
Maybe, but I suspect North Korea is doing much more useful things by helping secure Russia's rump in the Far East, pinning down Japan and South Korea both. The later was going to be thrown against China which would isolate all three of these(or at least that's what the Washington neo-con morons hope) on the world stage. What's a mangled South Korea to the USA? There's a simple reason Russia will never return the Kuril Islands to Japan, and was doing a Ukraine style negotiation with Japan. Where do Eastern Fleet Russian Submarines pass through on their way to Artic?
It's always good to have allies, I suppose, when so much of the world covets all your resources as much as it does. But there is nothing edifying about cozying up to this psychopath, and it feeds into a negative image of Putin and Russia when Russia does so. It also undermines the image of Russia as a powerful country when it apparently needs to rely on such an ally to assist its defense. Not a fan of the decision to do anything but purchase munitions.