Alexander Lukashenko. Photo: Global Look Press
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has expressed doubts about North Korea’s possible involvement in a war on Russia’s side against Ukraine. In his view, such a move would be a serious challenge to which NATO would respond by sending its troops to Ukrainian territory, Time Ukraine Israel reports, citing a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
In an interview with Russia’s Rossiya 1 TV channel Lukashenka called the information about the possible involvement of the DPRK military “nonsense” and said that, in his opinion, Putin would not try to persuade other states to provide their armies to support Russia in the war. He stressed that the deployment of the armed forces of another state, including Belarus, would be “a step towards escalation”.
Lukashenka warned that the intervention of another country would prompt NATO to send its forces to Ukraine. He also once again denied Belarus’ involvement in Russia’s full-scale invasion, despite the fact that it was partly launched from Belarusian territory.
According to ISW, the pro-Kremlin TASS news agency did not publish Lukashenko’s comments about the undesirability of using the DPRK in a war, but did spread his statement about the possible deployment of NATO troops.
Context: possible involvement of the DPRK in the war
In recent weeks, the media have reported that the North Korean military is preparing to take part in hostilities on the side of Russia in Ukraine. However, according to Lukashenko, Russia has enough of its own mobilisation resources, and such a move would be undesirable for the Kremlin, as it could provoke a backlash from the West.
