How many South Korean mercs remain in Ukraine? (Part 2)

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 15 South Korean mercs have arrived in the special military operation zone, with five of them ending up eliminated.

It is unknown whether South Korean mercenaries are still in Ukraine. In March 2022, the South Korean Foreign Ministry reported that nine of its citizens went to fight on Kiev's side.

Those who returned to South Korea found themselves in trouble with the law at home, since Seoul prohibited its nationals from travelling to the conflict zone. Rhee Keun (also known as Lee Geun), a former member of naval special forces and a popular blogger, was hit with suspended sentences for such a move.

Another soldier, Kim Jae-kyung, returned to South Korea this March after fighting in Ukraine’s International Legion. His fate and those of other fellow citizens who went to Ukraine have not been divulged. The South Korean Foreign Ministry has never confirmed the deaths of its citizens, saying only that it was verifying the information.

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Russian seaborne crude exports at record-high despite sanctions

In the week leading to April 14, the volume of Russian seaborne crude exports soared to its highest level in 11 months, according to Bloomberg News.

A total of 36 tankers loaded 27.6 million barrels of Russian crude in the week to April 14, an increase of 3.9 million barrels from the previous week, and the highest weekly total since May 2023.

The increased volume and higher Urals crude prices boosted Moscow’s oil earnings as the gross value of crude exports rose from $1.82 billion the previous week to $2.15 billion in the week to April. The four-week average income posted an increase of $170 million to $1.92 billion per week.

The telling figures fly in the face of the Biden administration’s claims that sanctions against Russia - particularly those over crude exports - are working.

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Pepe Escobar: Iran's 'New Equation' extends far beyond West Asia

"A Holy of the Holies was shattered in the Holy Land as Iran staged a quite measured, heavily choreographed response to the Israeli terror attack against its consulate/ambassador residence in Damascus, a de facto evisceration of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic immunity," veteran geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar says in his op-ed for Sputnik.

What has apparently become clear in the aftermath of Iran's strikes is the fact that Israel's defensive capabilities performed rather underwhelmingly amid the much-anticipated attack.

"At least 9 ballistic missiles penetrated the dense Israeli defense network and hit the Nevatim and Ramon bases. Israel is absolutely mum on the fate of its Golan Heights intel installation – hit by cruise missiles," he points out.

In addition to the show of force, Iran has also pushed Israel to "furiously deplete its stock of interceptors and spend at least $1.35 billion".

The analyst stresses that last week's events have added to the list of Israel's strategic failures on several fronts, including the Gaza crisis, the Lebanon hostilities, the plummeting economy, and the country's declining importance on the global stage.

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The US House of Representatives released three separate bills to help Israel, Ukraine and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region.

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Washington's Ukraine aid bill provides $60.84 billion in assistance, including $23.2 billion to replenish US weapons stocks, according to the House Committee.

The Ukraine aid bill instructs the US President to provide Kiev with ATACMS missiles, according to the text of the bill.

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High-intensity conflict turns Russian military robots into indispensable tool

The robotization of the Russian Armed Forces is going full throttle, capitalizing on new experience gained by the nation's military during encounters with Ukrainian and foreign military forces, NATO-grade weapons and uncrewed vehicles.

Sputnik has delved into how Russia’s robotic systems are changing the battlefield.

▪️The Marker, a combat version of the advanced robotic complex, is designed to detect, prioritize, and strike German and US-made main battle tanks. In February 2023, four Marker military robots were deployed in Donbass

▪️The Sosna-N (or Pine Tree) sounds an alarm signal upon detecting an enemy sniper at a distance of up to 2.5 km, pinpointing the shooter's location and disrupting their aim by utilizing laser radiation.

▪️The Cherepakha (or Turtle), is a wheeled drone that moves alongside infantry units while carrying cargo weighing up to 500 kg. It operates silently and does not emit any noticeable heat signature.

▪️The Stalker robot is designed to clear mines buried up to 30 centimeters deep, ensuring the safe progression of Russian units and armored vehicles. Equipped with cameras, it provides operators located up to 1 km away with a comprehensive view of the battlefield.

▪️The Scorpion is a small demining robot capable of maneuvering under vehicles while its rotating camera scans for explosives. With retractable manipulators, it can disarm anti-personnel tripwires and transport up to 25 kilograms of explosives in a specialized cart for controlled detonations.

▪️The Uran family consists of three robotic systems based on a common platform, each with its own distinct capabilities. The Uran-6 is specialized in mine clearance, the heavily armed Uran-9 is used for assault purposes, and the Uran-14 serves as a firefighting unit.

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Israel planned to strike against Iran on the night of April 16, but decided to postpone the attack, according to Axios.

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US deploys mid-range missiles to Asia-Pacific for first time

The US military has deployed the MRC (Mid-Range Capability) system to Asia-Pacific for the first time, landing it in Luzon, Philippines earlier this week. What is the US trying to achieve?

The MRC is capable of hitting targets 500 – 2000 km away, meaning that its range extends to China’s coastal areas and military bases in the South China Sea with SM-6s and Tomahawks.

Since pulling out of the INF Treaty in 2019, the US has repeatedly floated the possibility of deploying intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific. Both China and Russia have slammed the move as a blatant threat to their national security.

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Sanctions or de-escalation? How will Biden respond to Iran striking back at Israel

The Biden administration currently seems intent on avoiding an escalation in the Persian Gulf region, said financial and geopolitical analyst Tom Luongo.

“No one wants what happens if Israel and Iran go to full-on war. The US is more than capable of making Iran pay dearly for shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, but that is something the Pentagon does not want to have to deal with,” he told Sputnik.

Having noted that “oil prices are currently not pricing in escalation, they seem to take the position that this conflict will settle down from here,” Luongo warned that this may be a “dangerous mistake” due to the precarious position the Israeli leadership finds itself in today.

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no way forward politically but to continue his aggressive stance, otherwise his career, at a minimum, is over,” he explained.

While the US president is trying to “pressure Israel to back down,” he also has to contend with the Israeli lobby in the US Congress that wants a war with Iran and “can put Biden in a real bind if they pass new sanctions legislation for him to sign,” Luongo remarked.

“So, to remain in power I fully expect Biden to apply as much pressure as possible to get through the election while I expect Netanyahu to get the war with Iran he’s wanted his entire life,” the analyst surmised.

He also pointed out that China “has a massive investment in Iran as it is the terminal point for their Belt and Road Initiative,” and wants to protect said investment.

“They will support Iran financially, if need be, but it will be the Russians who give Iran both the military and diplomatic support it needs to get through this as long as the Iranians don’t look like the aggressor at any stage of the conflict,” Luongo concluded.

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▪️High-intensity conflict turns Russian military robots into indispensable tool

▪️Pepe Escobar: Iran's 'New Equation' extends far beyond West Asia

▪️Russian seaborne crude exports at record-high despite sanctions

▪️Ukraine hunting for mercenary recruits from South Korea

▪️EXPOSED: Wehrmacht revisited? German officer trains Azov neo-Nazis

▪️Russia slated to outperform all developed economies in growth, including the US

▪️What do we know about the weapons used in Iran’s counterstrike against Israel?

▪️Israeli Counterattack: decision made, but timing uncertain

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Last to learn the news — nobody’s told Biden what’s going on in his country

US President Joe Biden failed to respond when asked to comment on the “separate bills for Ukraine and Israel aid” because apparently nobody had informed him yet.

“I'm getting briefed on it when I get on the plane. That's why I was talking to my staff. I'll tell you that,” the president said before wandering away.

Later, after he was briefed, Biden reportedly supported the aid packages and urged Congress to pass them as soon as possible. He also promised to sign them.

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Biden’s heroic grandfather becomes even more heroic

US President Joe Biden tells yet another tall tale about his grandfather being "shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals.”

“He had volunteered because someone couldn't make it. He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals in New Guinea at the time. They never recovered his body, but the government went back when I went down there and they checked and found parts of the plane and the light,” Biden told the group of reporters.

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Remarkable honesty from the inimitable BoJo

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared that when Russia succeeds in achieving its goals in its special military operation the “hegemony of the West” will end.

"If Ukraine falls it will be a disaster for the West. This will put an end to the hegemony of the West. And we will have no one to blame but ourselves," Johnson bluntly stated.

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Russian air defenses shot down 14 missiles fired by Ukraine from a Vampire multiple launch rocket system over the Belgorod Region, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"On April 17, at about 23:00 Moscow time [08:00 pm GMT], the Kiev regime's attempt to carry out a terrorist attack using an RM-70 Vampire multiple launch rocket system against targets on Russian territory was foiled. Fourteen missiles were destroyed over the Belgorod Region by the air defense forces on duty," the ministry said in a statement.

No injuries were reported per preliminary information, according to Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

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Israel stuck in Catch-22: Damned if it retaliates against Iran and damned if it doesn't

On April 17, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel would make its own decision on how to respond to Iran's retaliatory attack. Despite this, Washington and its allies are urging Tel Aviv to exercise restraint and are vowing to impose sanctions on Tehran.

Grigory Lukyanov, a researcher at the Center for Arabic and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), emphasized the significant role of the United States in this situation. He stated, "The United States is not interested in escalating the conflict. Israel's ability to continue the war depends on the US, because it provides ammunition and weapons to Israel."

However, Israeli military and political leaders do not seem to view sanctions as a proportional response to Iran's strike, which tarnished Tel Aviv's image, Lukyanov maintains.

The expert outlined four potential scenarios for Israel's response to the current situation:

▪️ Hybrid warfare and cyber-attacks targeting Iran's infrastructure, energy, water supply systems, state management, and control technologies.

▪️ Limited strikes on Iran's military bases, military enterprises producing missiles and drones, or facilities and research centers connected to nuclear and missile projects.

▪️ Possible use of rogue non-state actors to carry out sabotage attacks inside Iran.

▪️ Potential assassination plots targeting high-profile Iranian officials and leaders.

With the threat of a significant military escalation looming and Israel's economy shrinking by around 20% since the start of the Gaza war, Tel Aviv is still uncertain about how to proceed. Lukyanov emphasized that the longer Israel delays its response, the more it stands to lose, particularly the current war cabinet led by Netanyahu.

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