Top North Korean military officials criticised the United States on Monday for its expanding military assistance to Ukraine and warned of a “new world war”.
North Korea‘s vice minister of defence, Kim Kang Il, said the US sending a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the South Korean port city of Busan on Saturday was a “very dangerous” show of force.
Just days after Russian president Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, Pak Jong Chon, one of North Korea‘s top military officials, said Moscow had the “right to opt for any kind of retaliatory strike” if Washington kept pushing Ukraine to a “proxy war” against Russia.
It could provoke a stronger response from Moscow, and a “new world war”, Pak said, according to KCNA.
In other developments, Putin’s forces have launched a missile attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa which struck civilian infrastructure and injured at least three people.
The attack damaged a storage facility where some 50 people were working, military and regional authorities said. Two middle-aged men and a 19-year-old boy were taken to hospital, authorities said.
EU backs using Russian asset profits for Ukraine, despite Hungarian objection, diplomats say
The European Union has approved a plan to use a first tranche of profits from frozen Russian assets for military aid to Ukraine, getting around a Hungarian block, diplomats said on Monday.
Earlier in the day, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc had found a way to use the funds to buy arms and other aid for Ukraine without needing Hungary’s consent.
Borrell said the first tranche of the profits of “around 1.4 billion euros” is expected to be available next week.
Russia summons the American ambassador over a deadly attack that Moscow says used US-made missiles
The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the American ambassador on Monday to protest what it says was the use of U.S.-made advanced missiles in a Ukrainian attack on Russian-annexed Crimea that reportedly killed four people and wounded more than 150.
Washington “has effectively become a party” to the war on Ukraine’s side, the ministry said in a statement, adding, “Retaliatory measures will certainly follow.” It did not elaborate.
There was no immediate comment from U.S. or Ukrainian officials. The Associated Press could not independently verify Russia’s claims about the missiles used.
Russia summons the American ambassador over a deadly attack that Moscow says used US-made missiles
The Russian Foreign Ministry has summoned the American ambassador to protest what it says was the use of U.S.-made advanced missiles in a Ukrainian attack on Russian-annexed Crimea that reportedly killed four people and wounded more than 150
Russian missiles kill four and wound 34 in eastern town Pokrovsk, Ukraine says
Russian missiles killed at least four people and wounded 34 others, including two children, in the eastern Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk on Monday, the regional governor said.
“This is one of the largest enemy attacks on civilians recently,” Vadym Filashkin said on Telegram.
Images shared alongside his post showed one-story buildings with shattered windows, ruined rooftops and bricks and construction waste scattered around.
Filashkin said Russian troops launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles at the town which is about 24 km (15 miles) from the front line. The attack destroyed one private house and damaged 16 more, he added.
One missile struck and then, half an hour later, a second, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s office said in a statement. The attacks also damaged a gas pipeline and cars, it added.
In pictures: Burnt Derbent synagogue following after Dagestan attack
Sergei Melikov, the head of the Dagestan region, visits Derbent synagogue following an attack by gunmen and a fire.
Russia says U.S. programmed and guided missiles which struck Crimea
The Russian foreign ministry said on Monday that missiles used in Sunday’s attack on Crimea had been programmed by United States specialists and guided based on intelligence data from U.S. satellites and a nearby U.S. reconnaissance drone.
The ministry earlier on Monday summoned the U.S. ambassador to tell her that Moscow blamed Kyiv and Washington equally for the deadly attack on the city of Sevastopol in Crimea.
North Korea warns US of ‘new world war’ over support for Ukraine
Top North Korean military officials criticised the United States on Monday for its expanding military assistance to Ukraine and warned of a “new world war”.
North Korea‘s vice minister of defence, Kim Kang Il, said the U.S. sending an aircraft carrier to the Korean peninsula was a “very dangerous” show of force, leaving doors open for North Korea‘s “overwhelming, new demonstration of deterrence,” state media KCNA reported.
A nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier, the Theodore Roosevelt, arrived in the South Korean port city of Busan on Saturday to take part in joint military exercises later this month with the host nation and Japan, naval officials said.
Just days after Russian president Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, Pak Jong Chon, one of North Korea‘s top military officials, said Moscow had the “right to opt for any kind of retaliatory strike” if Washington kept pushing Ukraine to a “proxy war” against Russia.
It could provoke a stronger response from Moscow, and a “new world war”, Pak said, according to KCNA.
Farage accused of ‘playing into Putin’s hands’ as he doubles down on Ukraine invasion comments
Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer have led criticism of Nigel Farage after the Reform UK leader claimed that the West “provoked” Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
It did not stop Mr Farage from doubling down on his comments, originally made in a BBC Panorama interview which aired on Friday night, in a column piece on Saturday afternoon for the Daily Telegraph, claiming that he should “not be blamed for telling the truth about Putin’s war”.
Asked about the remarks during an election campaign visit in London on Saturday, prime minister Mr Sunak suggested Mr Farage was “emboldening Putin”.
Farage accused of ‘playing into Putin’s hands’ as he doubles down on Ukraine comments
Nigel Farage says he shouldn’t be blamed for ‘telling the truth’ about Vladimir Putin’s war – though he has stopped short of offering an alternative policy
Under curfew, Ukrainians mark midsummer with bonfire jumping at a festival with pagan roots
Despite war-time restrictions, Ukrainians marked midsummer with festivals that featured frenetic folk dancing, flower decoration and jumping over bonfires.
The festival of Ivana Kupala on Sunday was held as Ukrainians start their third summer at war, with Kyiv and other cities hit by regular blackouts and remaining under nightly curfew.
An hour’s drive south of the capital, several thousand joined the summer festival, many wearing shirts and dresses embroidered with traditional patterns.
Under curfew, Ukrainians mark midsummer with bonfire jumping at a festival with pagan roots
Despite war-time restrictions, Ukrainians marked midsummer with festivals that feature frenetic folk dancing, flower decoration and jumping over bonfires
Three injured after Russian missile strike on Odesa
A Russian missile attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa struck civilian infrastructure and injured at least three people, on Monday morning, regional governor Oleh Kiper said.
The attack damaged a storage facility where some 50 people were working, military and regional authorities said.
The air force said it had prevented one of two cruise missiles launched by Russia from reaching the target.
Mr Kiper said on the Telegram messaging app that two middle-aged men and a 19-year-old boy were taken to hospital.
The air force had warned the city’s residents of the threat of incoming missiles before the explosions sounded.
Odesa has been a frequent target of Russian forces in the 28-month-long full-scale invasion, with many attacks aimed at the city’s port facilities. Russia denies targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure.
With its new pact with North Korea, Russia raises the stakes with the West over Ukraine
Behind the smiles, the balloons and the red-carpet pageantry of President Vladimir Putin‘s visit to North Korea last week, a strong signal came through: In the spiraling confrontation with the U.S. and its allies over Ukraine, the Russian leader is willing to challenge Western interests like never before.
The pact that he signed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un envisions mutual military assistance between Moscow and Pyongyang if either is attacked. Putin also announced for the first time that Russia could provide weapons to the isolated country, a move that could destabilize the Korean Peninsula and reverberate far beyond.
With its new pact with North Korea, Russia raises the stakes with the West over Ukraine
Behind the pageantry of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea, a strong signal came through: In the spiraling confrontation with the U.S. and its allies over Ukraine, the Russian leader is willing to challenge Western interests like never before
