MOSCOW. Oct 28 (Interfax) - The Western calls for sending troops to Ukraine in response to the alleged deployment of North Korean forces is an attempt to excuse what has been happening there for a long time post factum, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.
"As to our relations with the DPRK, we have repeatedly said that the treaty [on comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea] is not a secret document, it is public, its entire text has been published, and it absolutely does not breach any provisions of international law, because it envisages, among other things, mutual assistance in case of a military attack on the other party to the treaty," Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow.
"So, our position is completely honest and transparent in this case. Whereas the cunning statements that we [the West] will send troops to Ukraine under a certain pretext seem to be an attempt to excuse what has been happening for a long time post factum," he said.
Lavrov was asked what Moscow would do if the West sends troops to Ukraine in response to the alleged "deployment of North Korean forces there to support the Russian army."
"This [the participation of Western troops] has happened before. The president has repeatedly provided specific information about servicemen of Western armies fighting among the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. These are mercenaries, so-called volunteers or even instructors without whom it is impossible to use not only Western but also Ukrainian long-range weapons," he said.
"Of course, these forces are unable to use missile systems without the assistance of Western specialists, space surveillance data, which the Ukrainians definitely do not have, and specialists programming flight plans. Thus, Western servicemen have long been working in Ukraine. This is part of the hybrid warfare of NATO and the European Union against our state. We are perfectly aware of that," Lavrov said.