'Third World War Has Begun': Ukraine's Ex-Military Commander On Russia's Missile Attack
A former commander-in-chief of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny, claimed that the direct involvement of North Korean troops and Iranian weapons on behalf of Russia was a significant factor in the war's global expansion
Pointing to the involvement of Russia’s “autocratic allies", a former military commander in Ukraine has said World War 3 is well underway. Valery Zaluzhny, who is now serving as an envoy to the United Kingdom, claimed the direct involvement of North Korea and Iran in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“I absolutely believe that in 2024 we can believe that the Third World War has begun," Zaluzhny said during a speech at the Ukrainska Pravda’s UP100 award ceremony, as per reports.
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In the aftermath of Russia’s missile strike on Dnipro, Zaluzhny said Russia’s autocratic allies are a significant factor in the war’s global expansion. There are reports that Russia has deployed more than 10,000 North Korean troops in the Kursk region and is using Iranian drones in the conflict.
“Soldiers from North Korea are standing in front of Ukraine. Let’s be honest. Already in Ukraine, the Iranian ‘Shahedis’ are killing civilians absolutely openly, without any shame," he was quoted in a report by NDTV.
He claimed that North Korean troops, as well as Iranian and Chinese weapons were actively contributing to the war. “It is still possible to stop it here, on the territory of Ukraine. But for some reason, our partners do not want to understand this. It is obvious that Ukraine already has too many enemies," he was quoted, urging Ukraine’s allies to take action and prevent the conflict from spreading beyond the country’s borders.
WHAT DID RUSSIA SAY ABOUT MISSILE STRIKE ON UKRAINE?
On Thursday (November 21), Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow had tested a new medium-range hypersonic non-nuclear ballistic known as “Oreshnik" (the hazel) by firing it at a missile and defence enterprise in Dnipro. A missile and space rocket company Pivdenmash, known as Yuzhmash by Russians, is based in this Ukrainian city.
Putin said the Ukraine war was escalating towards a global conflict after the US and Britain allowed Kyiv to hit Moscow with their weapons. He warned the West that Moscow could strike back and more attacks similar to the one in Dnipro may follow. He added that civilians would be warned ahead of further strikes with such weapons.
He said after a nod from the administration of President Joe Biden, Ukraine struck Russia with six US-made ATACMS on November 19 and with British Storm Shadow missiles and US-made HIMARS on November 21.
“From that moment, as we have repeatedly underscored, a regional conflict in Ukraine previously provoked by the West has acquired elements of a global character," he said in an address to the nation carried by state television.
The Russian president said the US was pushing the world towards a global conflict. “And in case of escalation of aggressive actions, we will also respond decisively and in a mirror manner," he added.
He further said Russia was developing short and medium range missiles in response to the planned production and then deployment by the US of medium and shorter range missiles in Europe and the far east.
“I believe that the United States made a mistake by unilaterally destroying the treaty on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles in 2019 under a far-fetched pretext," Putin said, referring to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
(With agency inputs)
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