Russia-Ukraine conflict reside: Russian defence minister says ties with North Korea ‘increasing in all areas’ throughout go to

Russian defence minister, Andrei Belousov, arrived in North Korea on Friday for talks with North Korean army and political leaders because the international locations deepen their alignment over Russia’s conflict on Ukraine.

In response to the Related Press, the defence ministry in saying the go to didn’t specify who Belousov could be assembly or the aim of the talks. North Korean state media didn’t instantly verify the go to both.

Images launched by Russia’s defence ministry confirmed Belousov strolling alongside North Korean protection minister, No Kwang Chol, on a pink carpet laid out at a Pyongyang airport. In response to the AP, North Korean army officers had been seen clapping below a banner that learn:

Full help and solidarity with the preventing Russian military and folks.”

Agence France-Presse (AFP) stories that Belousov on Friday hailed “increasing” ties with North Korea. “Pleasant ties between Russia and North Korea are actively increasing in all areas, together with army cooperation,” he was quoted by Russian information businesses as saying throughout a go to to the nation.

The go to got here days after South Korean president, Yoon Suk Yeol, met with a Ukrainian delegation led by protection minister, Rustem Umerov, within the South Korean capital of Seoul and referred to as for the 2 international locations to formulate countermeasures in response to North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia in help of its combat towards Ukraine.

North Korean chief, Kim Jong-un, in current months has prioritised relations with Russia as he tries to interrupt out of isolation and strengthen his worldwide footing, embracing the thought of a “new chilly conflict”, stories the AP.

The US and its allies have mentioned North Korea has despatched greater than 10,000 troopers to Russia in current weeks and that a few of these troops had been partaking in fight.

On Thursday, Joe Biden mentioned Russia’s newest assault on Ukraine reveals the “urgency” of backing Kyiv, touting sturdy help forward of Donald Trump taking workplace in January.

“This assault is outrageous and serves as yet one more reminder of the urgency and significance of supporting the Ukrainian individuals of their defence towards Russian aggression,” Biden mentioned in an announcement.

Earlier on Thursday, Russia pummelled Ukraine’s vitality grid with nearly 200 missiles and drones, leaving 1,000,000 individuals with out energy.

“On today, my message to the Ukrainian individuals is evident: america stands with you,” added Biden.

In different developments:

• Vladimir Putin has threatened to strike Kyiv with Oreshnik missiles, an intermediate-range weapon that Moscow used towards the town of Dnipro final week and that Putin has claimed can’t be shot down by any air defence system.

• It got here after Moscow pummelled Ukraine’s vitality grid in an assault that left 1,000,000 individuals with out energy. Russia fired greater than 90 missiles and about 100 drones through the barrage, in accordance with Kyiv, with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy urging his allies to reply firmly to what he dubbed Russian “blackmail”. Putin mentioned the contemporary bombardment was a “response” to Ukrainian strikes on his territory with western missiles.

• Russian drone assaults on Ukraine injured at the very least eight individuals and broken residential buildings within the capital Kyiv and within the southern Odesa area in a single day, officers mentioned on Friday. Ukraine’s air pressure mentioned in an announcement that, of 132 drones launched towards the nation in a single day, it had downed 88 drones, whereas 41 had been “misplaced”, possible as a result of digital warfare, and one returned to the Russian territory.

• Georgian riot police deployed teargas and water cannon towards demonstrators protesting a authorities choice to delay asking for EU accession, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reporters witnessed. 1000’s rallied within the capital Tbilisi and cities throughout Georgia after prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, introduced the choice amid a post-election disaster that noticed the nation’s president problem the legitimacy of the newly elected parliament and authorities.

• Donald Trump’s plan to faucet the retired US Lt Gen Keith Kellogg as US envoy to Ukraine and Russia has triggered renewed curiosity in a coverage doc he co-authored. It proposes ending the conflict by withdrawing weapons from Ukraine if it doesn’t enter peace talks – and giving much more weapons to Ukraine if Russia doesn’t do the identical.