Published October 21, 2023last updated October 21, 2023
North Korea condemned the US for supplying weapons to Ukraine, as Pyongyang and Moscow grow closer. Meanwhile, Russian news agencies reported the appointment of the new air force commander. DW has the latest.
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Ukrainian President Voloymyr Zelenskyy has thanked the US for the missiles Image: U.S. Army/Avalon/Photoshot/picture allianceSkip next section What you need to knowWhat you need to knowNorth Korea on Saturday castigated the United States for supplying Ukraine with long-range ballistic missiles known as ATACMS, saying any strike on Russia with the weapons will only hamper peace efforts.
On Tuesday, Ukraine said it used the US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) for the first time, inflicting heavy damage on two airfields in Russian-occupied areas.
“The US finally delivered ATACMS ground-to-ground missile system to Ukraine despite the deep concern and strong opposition of the international community,” Sin Hong-Chol, North Korea’s ambassador to Russia, said in a statement carried by state media outlet KCNA.
Meanwhile, Russia reportedly appointed Viktor Afzalov as the Commander-In-Chief of the Aerospace Forces. That post was earlier held by Sergey Surovikin, who was rumored to have ties with now-deceased Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Here’s a look at the latest on Russia’s war in Ukraine for Saturday, October 21:
Skip next section Russia reportedly appoints new Aerospace Forces chiefOctober 21, 2023
Russia reportedly appoints new Aerospace Forces chiefRussia named a replacement for the former head of the country’s Aerospace Forces, who was ousted in the wake of this summer’s brief rebellion against the military establishment, state news agencies reported.
The TASS and RIA-Novosti agencies both cited a source as saying Colonel General Viktor Afzalov, who reportedly had been acting head of the Aerospace Forces since mid-August, was given the full post. He replaces General Sergei Surovikin.
There was no official confirmation of the report, but state agencies frequently represent official positions through reports citing anonymous officials in Russia’s defense and security establishment.
More cracks appear in Russia’s militaryTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Surovikin was believed to have had close ties with Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group, who mounted a rebellion in June seeking the dismissal of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and military chief of staff Valery Gerasimov.
Surovikin had commanded Russia’s forces in Ukraine from October 2022 until January, when he was replaced in that role by Gerasimov.
https://p.dw.com/p/4Xq4HSkip next section North Korea slams US for supplying long-range missiles to UkraineOctober 21, 2023
North Korea slams US for supplying long-range missiles to UkraineNorth Korea on Saturday castigated the United States for supplying Ukraine with long-range ballistic missiles known as ATACMS, saying any strike on Russia with them will only hamper peace efforts.
On Tuesday, Ukraine said it used the US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) for the first time, inflicting heavy damage on two airfields in Russian-occupied areas.
“The US finally delivered ATACMS ground-to-ground missile system to Ukraine despite the deep concern and strong opposition of the international community,” Sin Hong-Chol, North Korea’s ambassador to Russia, said in a statement carried by state media KCNA.
“Any strike at the interior of Russia, a nuclear power, will not be of help to the early end of the Ukrainian situation or its peaceful settlement as the US advocates but will serve as a catalyst for putting the whole Europe into the crucible of endless war and prolonging the war,” the statement said.
US sends long-range ATACMS missiles to UkraineTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and the Kyiv government has repeatedly asked Washington for the missiles, while promising not to use them inside Russia.
The US said last week that North Korea had delivered more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and weapons to Russia. White House released images that it said showed the containers were loaded onto a Russian-flagged ship before being moved via train to southwestern Russia.
Vladimir Putin toasts to ‘strengthening of cooperation’ with KoreaTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
North Korea and Russia have been growing closer in recent months. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Russia in September, with Kim throwing support behind the invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also visited North Korea, as the countries bolster security ties amid tensions with the West.
dh/wd (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)
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