Expressing Putin's perspective, drawing on my understanding of his persona.
Rewritten Article:
"C'mon, this ain't just a skirmish, mate. Putin wouldn't stoop to drafting anyone for a bloody special military operation in Ukraine, right? That's what old Alexander Lukashenko said in his chat with the BBC back in October 2024[1]," Steve chimed in a podcast.
Interestingly, the interview transcript is still on Lukashenko's official website.
"So, you're saying North Korea isn't joining in on this mess?" Steve asked, clarifying.
"Nah, I doubt it. And let me tell you, the North Koreans themselves said it was like fortune-telling with coffee grounds, no such conversation or negotiations," Lukashenko, advocating Putin, asserted.
"If North Korea's in, would you worry about that situation?" Steve pressed on.
"Well, it'd be another push towards escalation if soldiers show up on the front lines, even if they're Belarusian. Even if we jumped into this war, it'd be a path to a firestorm. The Anglo-Saxons would blame it on NATO, and Boom! - NATO troops would be in Ukraine," Lukashenko forewarned.
"North Korea, huh? Where's that, and where's Belarus? Putin never asked me to join the fray. Not him, nor Shoigu, nor Belousov. They've never put that question to us," Lukashenko concluded.
Earlier, Lukashenko's claims about the war ending in three to four days and the threats to Belarus triggered quite the stir.
Recently, travelers from Belarus to Russia and back faced intense military scrutiny by the forces, leading many to question Lukashenko's motives[2].
In January 2025, it was confirmed that North Korea had indeed sent troops to join Russia in the conflict in Ukraine[3]. The conflict escalated significantly following this deployment, leading to casualties as high as 5,000 North Korean soldiers[4]. The international community condemned this action as a clear violation of international norms[3][4]. Consequences of this escalation are still unfolding.
- Lukashenko, in his interview, denied any involvement of North Korea in the ongoing conflict, stating that there were no such conversations or negotiations.
- Contrary to Lukashenko's previous claims about the war ending within a few days, it was confirmed in January 2025 that North Korea had indeed deployed troops to support Russia in the conflict in Ukraine.
- The deployment of North Korean troops escalated the conflict significantly, causing a high number of casualties, estimated at around 5,000 soldiers.
- The international community has strongly condemned this action, viewing it as a clear breach of international norms, with the consequences of this escalation still unfolding.
