Belarusian dictator Lukashenko warns of escalation if Putin deploys Korean troops

Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, stated that Vladimir Putin, the leader of Russia, would never enlist North Korean soldiers in the war against Ukraine because it could result in escalation and the possible deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine.

Lukashenko said this in an interview with the BBC.

"Rubbish [that North Korean troops are involved in the war – ed.]. Knowing his character, Putin would never try to persuade another country to involve its army in Russia's special operation [war – ed.] in Ukraine," the self-proclaimed president of Belarus emphasized.

To the journalist's question, what will happen if the information about the involvement of troops from the DPRK is confirmed, Lukashenko said:

"It would be a step towards the escalation of the conflict if the armed forces of any country, even Belarus, were on the contact line. Even if we got involved in the war, this would be an escalation path.

Why? Because you, the Anglo-Saxons, would immediately say that another country had got involved on one side… so NATO troops would be deployed to Ukraine."

He also assures that Putin allegedly never asked him to provide Belarusian troops for the Kremlin's war in Ukraine.

During an interview on October 23 with the Russian TV channel "Russia 1", Lukashenko stated that he does not believe the Russian government or military requires North Korean soldiers, as they already have sufficient Russian forces in the front and the Kremlin has significant mobilization capabilities.

According to the Belarusian leader, Moscow understands that the involvement of North Korean troops in the war would be "undesirable for Russia" and that the West will respond by sending NATO troops to Ukraine.

"The pro-Kremlin news agency TASS did not publish Lukashenko's message that the use of North Korean forces in the war against Ukraine is not in Russia's interests. The agency only published the dictator's statement that NATO will deploy troops in Ukraine in response to the participation of the North Korean military in the war," the ISW report says.

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko recently claimed that Ukraine's actions towards Minsk have been hostile, which is why the country is showing support for the Russian Federation in the war.

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It should be noted that South Korean intelligence confirmed that Pyongyang has decided to send 12,000 troops to support the Russian Federation in the war against Ukraine. The first 1,500 special forces from the DPRK have already arrived at the training center at the Sergeev training ground of the Russian Far East.

Previously, Kyrylo Budanov, the intelligence chief of Ukraine, stated to the media that approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers would be prepared to engage in combat in Ukraine by November 1, 2024.

On October 22, the head of Ukrainian intelligence announced that the first North Korean soldiers would soon arrive in Russia's Kursk region. They will help the Russian army.

In his turn, President Zelensky mentioned that Ukraine has intelligence regarding Russia's training of two North Korean military units, potentially forming two brigades consisting of 6,000 individuals each.

The US Department of Defense has evidence that North Korean soldiers are currently present in the Russian Federation. However, their exact activities remain unknown and will require further investigation.

In addition, for the first time, Putin made a statement about North Korean troops in the Russian Federation. He said that Russia and North Korea could "provide mutual aid in the event of aggression" to each other, as the State Duma ratified the "comprehensive strategic partnership" agreement with North Korea.