Vladimir Putin’s top ally Alexander Lukashenko denied that Russia has officially started to recruit North Korean soldiers to fight Ukraine, claiming that doing so would be an “escalation”.
US defence secretary Lloyd Austin told the press this week that there is “evidence” North Korea’s troops are in Russia to train, although it remains unclear if they are going to fight in Ukraine.
He claimed this is a “very serious issue”, while his UK counterpart, John Healey, accused Vladimir Putin of being “desperate” for enlisting North Korean soldiers.
Their comments came after South Korea’s spy agency claimed on Friday that 1,500 North Korean troops had been sent to Russia in October.
Meanwhile, Ukraine alleges that its own intelligence believes 10,000 soldiers were being prepared to join Moscow’s ranks.
But, when asked about such claims from the West, Belarus’s leader Alexander Lukashenko told the BBC: “That’s rubbish. That would mean an escalation of the conflict.
“Knowing his character, Putin would never try to persuade a country to involve its army in the Ukraine conflict, especially on the front line.”
Pressed on what it would mean if the reports were confirmed, Lukashenko just repeated: “It would be an escalation of the conflict.”
Despite being Moscow’s closest international ally, Lukashenko also revealed that he did not speak to the Russian president when Putin redirected some troops from their training exercises in Belarus to invade Ukraine in February 2022.
He said: “No, he didn’t call me and I didn’t call him. These are his troops and he has the right to move them out whichever way he likes.”
Russia has stored tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, but Lukashenko suggested they would not be used, even though Putin has persistently threatened to deploy them if the West becomes more involved in the war.
He said: “Putin will never use the weapons stationed in Belarus without the Belarusian president’s consent.”
Yet, he added that Belarus was completely “ready” to use the weapons if the “boot of one soldier” from abroad steps into the country.
“We have no plans to attack anyone,” Lukashenko claimed.