Russia-backed DPR negotiating with North Korea for reconstruction of facilities: Report

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine's breakaway region, Donetsk People's Republic, is negotiating participation of rth Korean builders in restoration of DPR facilities. Denis Pushilin, Republic's Russian-backed leader, anunced on August 9 that first group of DPRK specialists would arrive in republic soon to determine scope of work.

Russian news ncy TASS quoted Pushilin as saying, " DPR Ministry of Foreign Affairs is negotiating to involve builders, including those from rth Korea, in reconstruction of DPR territories. Previously, before Western sanctions, rth Korea sent its builders to or countries, y developed a certain model. builders in DPRK are highly qualified, disciplined and show really a very good result."

Pushilin added that DPR and rth Korean foreign ministries are deciding on locations for ir respective embassies. According to him, foreign ministries are deciding on locations for embassies around world. rth Korea has become fifth country to recognise Donbas republics of DPR and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) as independent states.

South Ossetia was first country to recognise DPR and LPR's independence, in 2014. On February 25, 2022, Abkhazia followed Russia in doing same. Syria decided to recognise two people's republics' independence on June 29.

Russia-Ukraine War: Zelenskyy demands ban on Russian travellers

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Western countries to bar all Russians from entering country as part of broader sanctions against Russia. In an interview with Washington Post, Zelenskyy called for a ban, saying that Russians should be barred from entering country because y "are taking away someone else’s land." He went on to say that Russians should "live in ir own world until y change ir philosophy."

Since beginning of Russia's military offensive against Ukraine, a large number of Russians have fled country, some to avoid effects of sanctions and ors in opposition to war and fear of Moscow's crackdown on dissent. exact number of people who have fled Russia is unkwn, but estimates put figure in hundreds of thousands, if t millions.

Several Western countries offer asylum to Russian dissidents, including journalists and activists, and number of asylum applications has increased dramatically since war began. Despite fact that much of rth American and European air has been closed to Russian aircraft, Russian citizens can still apply for visas to any of those countries.

(Im: AP)