Latest news with #SergeiLavrov
News24
5 days ago
- Politics
- News24
North Korea prepares ‘for real war' as Kim Jong Un sends more troops to Russia
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has urged his military to be ready 'for real war' as he observed a firing contest of artillery units, Pyongyang state media said on Thursday. Kim's remarks follow the North's deployment of troops and weapons to help Russia during its more than three-year long offensive in Ukraine. Video footage aired by state-run Korea Central Television on Thursday showed soldiers from artillery units firing shells toward the sea. Kim is seen looking through binoculars at an observation post, flanked by two military officials, but the location for Wednesday's contest was not disclosed. He urged the soldiers to be ready 'for real war' at 'anytime' and be capable of 'destroying the enemy in every battle', the Korean Central News Agency reported in an English dispatch. South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have reported Pyongyang sent more than 10 000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk region in 2024, along with artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket systems. Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, Seoul has said. Various sources/AFP Kim offered Moscow his full support for its war in Ukraine during recent talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, state media reported previously. The two heavily sanctioned nations signed a military deal last year, including a mutual defence clause, during a rare visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang. European Council President Antonio Costa urged China on Thursday to 'use its influence' with Russia to help end the Ukraine war, as EU chiefs met Beijing's top leader. 'As a permanent member of United Nations Security Council, we call on China to use its influence on Russia to respect the United Nations Charter and to bring an end... (to the) war of aggression against Ukraine,' Costa said. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that an Indian company shipped $1.4 million worth of an explosive compound with military uses to Russia in December, according to Indian customs data seen by Reuters, despite US threats to impose sanctions on any entity supporting Russia's Ukraine war effort. One of the Russian companies listed as receiving the compound, known as HMX or octogen, is the explosives manufacturer Promsintez, which an official at Ukraine's SBU security service said has ties to the country's military. The official said that Ukraine launched a drone attack in April against a Promsintez-owned factory. According to the Pentagon's Defense Technical Information Center and related defence research programmes, HMX is widely used in missile and torpedo warheads, rocket motors, exploding projectiles and plastic-bonded explosives for advanced military systems. The US government has identified HMX as 'critical for Russia's war effort' and has warned financial institutions against facilitating any sales of the substance to Moscow. The HMX sale to Russian firms has not been previously reported.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Korea's Kim urges troops to prepare 'for real war'
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has urged his military to be ready "for real war" as he observed a firing contest of artillery units, Pyongyang state media said Thursday. Kim's remarks follow the North's deployment of troops and weapons to help Russia during its more than three-year long offensive in Ukraine. Video footage aired by state-run Korea Central Television on Thursday showed soldiers from artillery units firing shells towards the sea. Kim is seen looking through binoculars at an observation post, flanked by two military officials, but the location for Wednesday's contest was not disclosed. He urged the soldiers to be ready "for real war" at "anytime" and be capable of "destroying the enemy in every battle", the Korean Central News Agency reported in an English dispatch. South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have reported Pyongyang sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk region last year, along with artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket systems. Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, Seoul has said. Kim offered Moscow his full support for its war in Ukraine during recent talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, state media reported previously. The two heavily sanctioned nations signed a military deal last year, including a mutual defence clause, during a rare visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang. kjk/amj
France 24
6 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
North Korea's Kim urges troops to prepare 'for real war'
Kim's remarks follow the North's deployment of troops and weapons to help Russia during its more than three-year long offensive in Ukraine. Video footage aired by state-run Korea Central Television on Thursday showed soldiers from artillery units firing shells towards the sea. Kim is seen looking through binoculars at an observation post, flanked by two military officials, but the location for Wednesday's contest was not disclosed. He urged the soldiers to be ready "for real war" at "anytime" and be capable of "destroying the enemy in every battle", the Korean Central News Agency reported in an English dispatch. South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have reported Pyongyang sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk region last year, along with artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket systems. Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, Seoul has said. Kim offered Moscow his full support for its war in Ukraine during recent talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, state media reported previously. The two heavily sanctioned nations signed a military deal last year, including a mutual defence clause, during a rare visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Huge seaside resort built for 20k tourists bans foreigners weeks after opening
Despite years of delays and a grand opening ceremony, the world's most controversial Benidorm-inspired seaside resort has 'temporarily' prohibited foreign travellers from visiting A Benidorm-inspired seaside resort with 2.5 miles of golden sandy beach has sensationally banned foreigners from visiting, just 17 days after its grand opening. The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone might look like any other coastal destination at first glance. Complete with 43 hotels and camping sites that hold capacity for a whopping 20,000 visitors, the resort boasts a huge water park with thrilling slides, a cinema, theatre, 'recreation centre', and pristine beach. However, this seaside haven isn't located on the sunny Costa Blanca (although it is rumoured to be based on the Spanish hotspot). Instead, it's situated in the cruel dictatorship of North Korea, which has been accused of a series of gross human rights violations. These include detaining residents in prison camps for trying to flee, severely restricting the rights to freedom of expression, and rejecting international aid while people starved due to food shortages. But in 2017, North Korea sent a delegation on a trip to Benidorm so officials could take note of how the hotspot had designed many of its hotels and attractions. Following years of delay, the tourist park - believed to be a crucial part of Kim Jong Un's ambitions to boost tourism in the country - opened on July 1 this year. According to reports, the first droves of Russian tourists arrived at the resort earlier this month, with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov branding the project a 'good tourist attraction' that he hoped would become popular amongst Russians. However, on July 18, North Korea updated its tourism website, declaring that foreigners are 'temporarily' not allowed to visit. This follows North Korea's decision to abruptly halt tourism from the West - including travellers from France, Germany and the UK, back in February. At the time of writing, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to North Korea. "The level of tension on the Korean Peninsula remains high. While daily life in the capital city, Pyongyang, may appear calm, the security situation in North Korea can change quickly with no advance warning about possible actions by the authorities," the body warns. "This poses significant risks to British visitors and residents." Even before the site had actually opened, it garnered heavy criticism from human rights groups - including the UN which warned of 'shock brigades'. This is where workers are subject to harsh conditions and long working hours without adequate compensation. Cho Chung Hui, a North Korean who effectively defected from the country, witnessed some of these brutal conditions, although he wasn't directly involved in building the resort. "The principle behind these [brigades] was that no matter what, you had to complete the task, even if it cost you your life," he told the BBC. "I saw many women who were under so much physical strain and eating so poorly that their periods stopped altogether."
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘If You Don't Stop, Russia Will…': Lavrov's Chilling Warning Over Ukraine War Rattles Europe
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Europe of embracing militarization and ideological warfare in its posture toward Russia. He claimed the EU was displaying 'global arrogance' and using propaganda reminiscent of Goebbels to incite fear and hostility. Lavrov warned that continued provocations by Kyiv would be met with firm responses, asserting Russia's commitment to achieving its stated objectives despite Western opposition. In contrast, he praised the Trump administration's willingness to engage in dialogue.
