Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine will be forced to fight against North Korean troops should they enter the conflict.

In an evening address posted on Telegram, Zelenskyy said North Korean forces could appear on the battlefield “any day now.”

“Ukraine will be forced to actually fight against North Korea in Europe,” he said, adding: “These are the conditions when the lack of partners’ stronger decisions in support of Ukraine only encourages Putin to invest further in terror.”

Zelenskyy also called on Western allies to ramp up pressure on Russia, saying he expected more support.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      22
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      8 days ago

      NATO boots on the ground have not even been necessary so far.

      I doubt a bunch of half-starved North Koreans who have never seen actual combat vs. the hardened Ukrainian military will require them.

      • andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        17
        ·
        8 days ago

        There’s a lot to say about how NK troops are designed to be inept in the warzone, but as long as they dig trenches or carry ammo, they still put additional stress on ukrainian army. They keep endure more than what they asked for and don’t seem to have means to end the war without being supported accordingly to a new threat that took place. Let’s assume these koreans are warfare masterminds, everyone of them, instead of writing them off, and call it like it is: two countries and unknown amount of mercs are fighting against one country, and this country needs a blank check on mil spending for they take it themselves and hasn’t yet called for official military intevention from any other state.

    • TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      18
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      8 days ago

      Watching your Russian translator get blown in half from a DJI drone with an RPG strapped to it tends to drive down the morale of new troups.

    • Hubi@feddit.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      16
      ·
      8 days ago

      The latest info on the 18 North Korean deserters is that they were stationed in a forest without any command or supplies for 4 days and left their post because the alternative was starvation. They were picked up by the Russians soon after.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        8
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        8 days ago

        I can’t find the info now, but I really thought someone posted an article a few days ago about it. Unless my bad memory is acting up again.

        • jaybone@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          8
          ·
          8 days ago

          No, you are absolutely correct.

          There was a story about this just one or two weeks ago.

          Then within the last few days there was a new story they are training 3000 NK troops in Russia. Maybe they didn’t train the first batch enough lol.

  • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    12
    ·
    8 days ago

    Doesn’t South Korea have a pretty big stake in this? Not like “stop guarding their border” stake, but “holy shit guys we have a way to really make them eat dirt.”

    • BakerBagel@midwest.social
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      8 days ago

      Not really since Korean politics has made the entire Seoul area a de facto hostage for peace. Estimates place the death toll for Seoul alone at about 100,000 in the first 48 if hostilities between the North and South broke out due to the volume of artillery currently pointed at the city.

    • quant@leminal.space
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      7 days ago

      It’s all messy politics since the Ukrainian ambassador to Japan visited Yasukuni shrine (the one that’s infamous for honoring WW2 war criminals) which made a huge controversy in South Korean media. There’s still public support for Ukrainians plight, but also jaded cynicism since they see SK being diplomatically pressured into supporting Ukraine (which means risking more tensions with NK and China) while governments in Western Europe and US are taking their time.

  • nixcamic@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    8 days ago

    If Ukraine wasn’t in total war with Russia right now imagine how easily they could wipe the floor with NK lol.

  • IndustryStandard@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    8 days ago

    North Korea already has more sanctions than Russia. With little to lose they are eager to join for a small bid.