The Director General of Australia’s Office of National Intelligence, Andrew Shearer , has issued a cautionary statement , characterizing the ‘emerging axis’ of countries comprising China, Iran and North Korea united in their effort to back Russia as a deeply disconcerting strategic shift that Western powers are grappling to address effectively. Shearer stressed on Wednesday that the strategic ramifications of this rather nascent alignment, anchored by China and Russia have been greatly underestimated.
The extensive provision of dual use supported by China to President Putin revolving around economic aid and diplomatic backing is effectively sustaining his military operations in Ukraine, consequencing in the increasing fatalities of innocent Ukrainian lives just as tangibly as if China were supplying artillery ammunitions and missiles directly, said Shearer at a conference in Canberra.
“This reflects an increasingly disquieting strategic shift , and we are collectively striving to adapt and implement robust countermeasures”, he remarked. “Without a doubt, this constitutes one of the foremost strategic concerns of our era”, he further observed.
It’s noteworthy that Australia remains an integral member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance alongside the United States,United Kingdom, Canada & New Zealand.
Foreign Ministers representing the Group of Seven (G7) comprising – Canada, France, Germany, Italy , Japan , the United Kingdom & the United States – alongside three allied nations namely South Korea , Australia and New Zealand have jointly denounced the deployment of of North Korean troops to Russia, characterizing it as an alarming escalation of hostilities.This warning from the Australian Intelligence Chief coincides with Russian senator’s anticipated vote on Wednesday involving the ratification of a mutual defense treaty between Moscow and North Korea.
The accord officially ratified by the Russian Duma on 24th Oct formalizes a protracted period of intensifying security cooperation between Russia and North Korea kindling heightened tensions among western allies. In June President Vladimir Putin and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un reached an agreement in Pyongyang on a comprehensive strategic partnership binding both the nations to immediately provide military assistance using ‘all means’ should either come under attack.
The recent accord has marked the most formidable connection between Russia and North Korea since the Cold War’s conclusion, coinciding with reports from the US and South Korea highlighting that an estimated of 10000 North Korean soldiers were allegedly deployed along the Russian Forces in Ukraine’s ongoing conflict. North Korea has however categorically denied the deployment claims but interestingly Putin has neither confirmed nor denied such deployments, with multiple Russian officials have deflected requests demanding insights into the matter.
President Volodimir Zelensky of Ukraine has stated that the inaugural confrontations between the Ukrainian forces and North Korean forces pave the path to a new situation global instability. His comments were followed by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov’s who disclosed that an initial skirmish had transpired between soldiers of both the countries.
