Putin Says 4 More Nuclear-Powered Submarines to be Built Under Current Weapons Program

©Sputnik / Mikhail Metzel / Go to the mediabank

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that four more nuclear-powered submarines will be constructed as part of the current armament program, which will ensure the country’s security for years to come.

"I would like to point out that four more such submarines will be built under the current state armament program. This will ensure Russia’s security for decades to come," Putin said.

Russian ballistic missile submarines, which are currently under development and construction, have many unique characteristics, while new submarines and surface vessels have modern navigation, communications and sonar systems, equipped with high-precision weapons and robotic systems, the president noted.

"For example, the Generalissimus Suvorov submarine is armed with Bulava ballistic missiles, which significantly increase the capabilities of our nuclear naval forces," Putin said.

In addition, the president noted that the small rocket ship Grad Sviyazhsk is also a new generation project, specifying that ships of this class have shown high efficiency in combat missions in Syria, as well as in the course of the special military operation in Ukraine.

The Russian president participated via video link in the naval flag-raising ceremony on warships enlisting in the country’s Navy and launching of the nuclear-powered missile submarine Emperor Alexander III.

Tests of Latest Russian Submarine ‘Emperor Alexander III’ to Start in June 2023, Reports Say

Running tests of latest Russian nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine “Emperor Alexander III” will start in June 2023, the Russian broadcaster reported on Thursday.

©Sputnik / Ildus Gilyazutdinov

The construction of the seventh submarine of the Borei class ended earlier in the day, the news channel said.

All weapons systems of the submarine will be tested during the trials, according to the channel.

The submarine to honor Alexander III was originally scheduled to enter service with the Northern Fleet by the end of last year. However, as with many military programs in Russia, the completion of the submarine was delayed.

During the Soviet era, there were few warships named for past Russian rulers. While there have been a few submarines named for Czarist era admirals, the Russian Federation is reversing course. In two years, the seventh Project 955A (Borei-A) strategic nuclear-powered underwater cruiser is set to enter service, and she will bear the name Imperator Aleksandr III (Emperor Alexander III)—named for Czar Alexander III, who was Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Poland and Grand Duke of Finland from March 1881 until his death in 1894.

During his reign, Russia fought no major wars, and the late Czar was styled “The Peacemaker.” Alexander III, who was just forty-nine when he died, was succeeded by his eldest son Tsesarevich Nicholas, who took the throne as Nicholas II—the last Czar of Russia.

The submarine to honor Alexander III was originally scheduled to enter service with the Northern Fleet by the end of last year. However, as with many military programs in Russia, the completion of the submarine was delayed and will reportedly now enter service with the Russian Navy in late 2023, a source in the shipbuilding industry told TASS on Thursday.

“The nuclear-powered cruiser Emperor Alexander III will become operational in the Pacific Fleet at the end of 2023. It will be floated out in December next year. In the second half of 2023, the missile-carrying cruiser will undergo a full cycle of trials, including the launch of a Bulava [intercontinental ballistic] missile,” the source added.

Imperator Aleksandr III is the seventh Project 955 nuclear-powered submarine and the fourth of the improved Project 955A sub-class. Currently, the Russian Navy operates four Project 955/955A submarines, while the fifth vessel Knyaz Oleg is now on track to be delivered to the Russian Navy by the end of this year.

Project 955A (Borei-A) nuclear-powered missile-carrying submarines were developed to become the mainstay of Russia’s seaborne strategic nuclear forces.

Each boat carries sixteen Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles as their basic armament. Compared to the baseline Borei series, Borei-A subs feature enhanced acoustic stealth, maneuvering and deep-sea running capabilities as well as an improved armament control system.

The Fate of the Former Imperator Aleksandr III

The previous Russian warship to bear the name Imperator Aleksandr III was the third and final ship of the Imperatritsa Mariya-class dreadnoughts of the Imperial Russian Navy.

Built during World War I, the ship only entered service in July 1917, by which time the February Revolution had brought down the government of Czar Nicholas II. Renamed Volya (meaning “Freedom”), she entered service with the Black Sea Fleet, but it had been rendered ineffective following the revolution.

The warship saw no combat during World War I and following the peace with the Central Powers was surrendered to the Germans in 1918. Afterward, by the terms of the Armistice in November 1918, the dreadnought was turned over the White Russians and renamed General Alekseyev in honor of the Imperial Russian Army’s chief of staff during World War I. General Mikhail Vasilyevich Alekseyev died of heart failure in 1918 while fighting the Bolsheviks in the Volga region.

The newly named warship was used during the evacuation of the Crimea in 1920 and was then interned in French-controlled North Africa. She was sold for scrap, while her twelve-inch guns were later given to Finland for use as coastal artillery. Of the twelve main guns, eight made it to Finland, and were reportedly used against the Soviets during World War II, while four others were used as German coastal guns on the occupied Channel Island of Guernsey.

Russia may hope its new submarine, named in honor of “The Peacemaker,” has a career less colorful than that of the dreadnought to bear the name Imperator Aleksandr III.

Lavrov highlights need to liberate Russia’s four new regions

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
©Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service/TASS

The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR, LPR), as well as the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, which joined Russia following referendums, need to be liberated, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Channel One.

In response to a question about the borders of the regions that he was referring to, Lavrov said: "I am certainly talking about their borders as parts of the Russian Federation, based on the Russian Constitution."

When asked if he meant that Russia had yet to liberate those territories, Lavrov answered in the affirmative. "It stems from the people’s will expressed in the four regions. It happened a while ago in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and this fall in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions," Lavrov said.

He also noted that Russia was determined to make sure that its special military operation achieved its goals. The foreign minister added that the four new Russian regions "need to be liberated from the threat of Nazification that they have faced for years."

From September 23 to September 27, the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), as well as the Kherson Region and the Zaporozhye Region, held referendums where the majority of voters opted to join Russia.

On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the DPR and the LPR, the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions signed treaties on their accession to Russia. On October 4, Putin signed laws ratifying the treaties.

Lavrov lauds Saudi Arabia’s efforts to find ways to resolve Ukraine issue

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a phone call thanked his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud for efforts to find ways to resolve the situation in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Sergey Lavrov briefed Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud on certain aspects of the situation in Ukraine in terms of Russia’s special military operation. In this regard, Russia praised the Saudi leadership’s constructive position and readiness to make efforts to find ways to solve complex problems related to developments in Ukraine," the statement reads.

In addition, the two top diplomats discussed priority development issues concerning mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Saudi Arabia with regard to the implementation of the agreements made earlier at the highest level.

"Particular attention was paid to the need to continue constructive interaction within the OPEC+ group," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"The proximity of the two countries’ positions on pressing global and regional issues was highlighted and mutual interest in maintaining close foreign policy coordination both at the bilateral level and on various international platforms was confirmed," the statement added.

Saudi FM: We support international efforts to resolve Ukraine crisis politically

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Wednesday that the Kingdom continues to support international efforts aimed at politically resolving the crisis in Ukraine.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received phone calls from his Turkish and Russian counterparts. (File/Getty Images)

His comments came during a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in which they discussed the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis, the Kingdom’s foreign ministry said.

The two ministers also discussed bilateral relations and ways to develop them in various fields.

Prince Faisal also received a call from his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, and the two ministers “reviewed bilateral relations and ways to enhance them to serve the aspirations” of their countries.

They also discussed the most important regional and international issues of common interest, and aspects of intensifying joint efforts that would enhance international peace and security

Serbian president thanks Russia for political support amid rising tensions in Kosovo

"A will say thank you to Russia countless times for the support it provides to us.(...). I thank them for the political support, I thank China, I thank India. I am grateful to them all," the Serbian leader said

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic
©Russian Foreign Ministry Press Office/TASS

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic thanked Russia for its political support on the Kosovo and Metohija issue amid rising tensions in the region.

"I will say thank you to Russia countless times for the support it provides to us," he said in an interview with Pink ahead of a meeting with the residents of Kosovo and Metohija. "I thank them for their political support. I thank China and I thank India. I am grateful to them all," the Serbian leader added.

Vucic noted that Belgrade had to hold talks on deescalating the conflict with Western countries, that is, "with those who are on the side of the unrecognized Kosovo." "We aren’t in talks with impartial people. They are the people who fail to comply with (United Nations Security Council) Resolution 1244, who bombed this country, destroying it.

However, we talk to them because they have their forces in Kosovo and Metohija," the Serbian president stressed.

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out earlier that Moscow was keeping a close eye on the situation around Kosovo and supported Serbia’s actions on the issue.

Tensions in Kosovo spiraled on December 6, when special forces of this unrecognized territorial entity, accompanied by patrols from the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), began to seize the premises of election commissions in northern Kosovo and Metohija. The Serbian population spontaneously organized resistance to the Kosovars, who fled across the Ibar River.

On December 8, about 350 police officers from Kosovo entered the Serb-populated north of the province in armored vehicles and blocked the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica. On December 10, Kosovo police in Kosovska Mitrovica arrested Dejan Pantic, a former Serb police officer. In response, the Serbian population took to the streets to protest and blocked the roads in several communities.

Tension soars as main Kosovo-Serbia crossing closed

Kosovo's biggest border crossing with Serbia was closed today as months of tensions again flared, prompting Washington and Brussels to urge an immediate de-escalation of tensions.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade has refused to recognise it and encouraged Kosovo's 120,000 ethnic Serbs to defy Pristina's authority - especially in the north where ethnic Serbs make up the majority.

The latest trouble erupted on 10 December, when ethnic Serbs put up barricades to protest the arrest of an ex-policeman suspected of being involved in attacks against ethnic Albanian police officers - effectively sealing off traffic on two border crossings.

After the roadblocks were erected, Kosovar police and international peacekeepers were attacked in several shooting incidents, while the Serbian armed forces were put on heightened alert this week.

But a Pristina court has ordered that the former police officer, Dejan Pantic, be released from prison and placed under house arrest, a spokeswoman said.

The move could hint at a calming of the situation as ethnic Serbs cited his arrest as the main reason for erecting the barricades.

Late yesterday, dozens of demonstrators on the Serbian side of the border used trucks and tractors to halt traffic leading to Merdare, the biggest crossing between the neighbours - a move which forced Kosovo police to close the entry point yesterday.

"Such an illegal blockade has prevented the free movement and circulation of people and goods, therefore we invite our citizens and compatriots to use other border points for circulation," a Kosovo police statement said.

Pristina also asked NATO-led peacekeepers to clear the barricades that were erected on Kosovo soil.

US, EU urge de-escalation

Meanwhile, the European Union and the United States voiced concern over the situation and urged its immediate de-escalation.

"We call on everyone to exercise maximum restraint, to take immediate action to unconditionally de-escalate the situation, and to refrain from provocations, threats, or intimidation," they said in a joint statement.

The EU and US said they were working with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti to seek a political solution to one of the worst flare-ups in years in northern Kosovo.

Earlier yesterday, Serbian Defence Minister Milos Vucevic said that Belgrade was "ready for a deal", but did not elaborate.

Mr Vucevic described the roadblocks as a "democratic and peaceful" means of protest and added that Serbia has "an open line of communication" with Western diplomats on resolving the issue.

"We are all worried about the situation and where all this is going... Serbia is ready for a deal," Ms Vucevic told state-controlled public broadcaster RTS.

Russia backs ally Serbia

Northern Kosovo has been on edge since November when hundreds of ethnic Serb workers in the Kosovo police as well as the judicial branch, including judges and prosecutors, walked off the job.

They were protesting a controversial decision to ban Serbs living in Kosovo from using Belgrade-issued vehicle licence plates - a policy that was eventually scrapped by Pristina.

The mass walkouts created a security vacuum in Kosovo, which Pristina tried to fill by deploying ethnic Albanian police officers in the region.

Russia voiced support yesterday for its ally Serbia and said it was "very closely" following the developments while Germany warned against heightened military presence near the Kosovo border.

"We support Belgrade in all the actions that are being taken," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters yesterday.

He added however that "Serbia is a sovereign country and it is fundamentally wrong to look for some kind of destructive influence of Russia here".

According to Peskov, "Serbia is defending the rights of Serbs who live nearby in difficult conditions. Naturally they react harshly when these rights are violated."

The EU and several international ambassadors this week condemned four recent attacks against journalists who were covering the flare-up.

Kosovo's 1.8 million population is predominantly ethnic Albanian.

French MP Questions Fairness of Franco-German Gas Deal as Frenchmen Receive Vouchers for Firewood

©Sputnik / Alexander Wilf / Go to the mediabank

Europe is in the midst of an unprecedented and largely self-inflicted energy crisis after restricting the purchase of Russian oil, gas, coal and electricity to “punish” Moscow for its military operation in Ukraine. Restrictions have triggered a sharp increase in energy costs, and threaten the region with deindustrialization.

Gaullist politician and French National Rally lawmaker Jean-Philippe Tanguy has questioned the fairness of the Franco-German gas deal, saying it is not sufficiently transparent, and costing Paris a great deal while guaranteeing nothing in return.

“This agreement testifies to the loss of France’s energy sovereignty,” Tanguy said in a recent appeal addressed to Agnes Pannier-Runacher, France’s Minister for Energy Transition.

The lawmaker pointed out that under the October agreement, France is required to supply Germany with between 31 and 100 GWh worth of gas per day, equivalent to as much as 10 percent of France’s daily imports via its four operating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.

Demanding the government for transparency, Tanguy expressed concern that the agreement forces France to sell the gas it paid a premium for from the United States to a third country – Germany, for a price that hasn’t been publicized.

Paris has not provided any details “regarding the economic and financial terms of this agreement, in particular regarding the price of the gas [France sells] to Germany. And in return, France will buy electricity from its neighbor across the Rhine, electricity from fossil fuels, especially coal,” Tanguy said. This runs counter to France’s commitments on clean energy, the lawmaker pointed out.

The politician stressed that France’s energy system is facing a harsh winter, exacerbated by strike action, and urged authorities to 'prudently' manage "the gas reserves at its disposal” to meet demand.

He suggested that Berlin “has not officially committed itself to any obligations in the event of a lack of electricity supplies in France,” and that, “if this expected obligation is not fulfilled…France, having already supplied its gas to Germany, will be left without electricity.”

Accordingly, the current gas for electricity swap deal “marks a loss of France’s energy sovereignty,” threatening to turn the country into “a net importer of electricity for the first time in 40 years,” Tanguy lamented.

Tanguy stressed the government must make the provisions of the Franco-German contract public, “to make visible and transparent this unprecedented energy contract.”

Tanguy’s appeal, proceeded by weeks of fierce parliamentary debate about the terms and conditions of the agreement, comes amid the continuation of the energy crisis pummeling France and its European Union allies.

On Tuesday, French media reported that residents who heat their homes with firewood have begun receiving checks from the government of between €50 and €200 to help with costs. The amount of the check depends on income and marital status, with about 2.6 million households using firewood as a heating source eligible for the assistance.

In September, Paris announced a €45 billion spending plan to help shield households and businesses from dramatic energy price increases, with Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire assuring repeatedly throughout the year that a cap on electricity prices and other measures will assure that households aren’t driven into poverty by skyrocketing rates.

France has been partially shielded from the energy crisis pummeling most of its neighbors thanks to its nuclear power plants, which provide for nearly 70 percent of the country’s electricity needs. Despite joining its EU partners in slapping restrictions on Russian hydrocarbons, Paris has quietly continued to purchase enriched uranium from Russia and Kazakhstan to fuel its nuclear plants. According to French media, France bought some 153 tons of uranium enriched in Russia in 2022.

US-led collective West has long declared war on Russia, says Lavrov

©Mikhail Metzel/POOL/TASS

The US-led collective West declared war on Russia long ago, most notably, after the 2014 coup in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Great Game program, an excerpt of which was aired by Channel One on Wednesday.

"The collective West, which is headed by a nuclear power - the United States, is at war with us. This war was declared on us quite a long time ago, after the coup d’etat in Ukraine that was orchestrated by the United States and, in fact, backed by the European Union, and after the Minsk agreements that nobody was going to implement, as it now appears, and Ms. Merkel (Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel - TASS) confirmed that once again," the Russian foreign minister said.

In an interview with the German national weekly Die Zeit published on December 7, Merkel described the conclusion of the Minsk agreements in 2014 as an attempt to give Ukraine time to get stronger. She argued that it was clear to everyone that the conflict was stalled and the problem had not been resolved, "but this was what gave Ukraine invaluable time." She expressed doubt as to whether NATO countries would have been able to provide support to Kiev at that time to the same extent that they were doing now.

The United States and its NATO allies together with Ukraine want to defeat Russia “on the battlefield” in order to destroy it, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the state TASS agency in remarks published Monday.

“The actions of the countries of the collective West and (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky under their control confirm the global nature of the Ukrainian crisis,” Lavrov said.

“It is no secret to anyone that the strategic goal of the United States and its NATO allies is to defeat Russia on the battlefield as a mechanism for significantly weakening or even destroying our country.”

Lavrov reiterated that Russia and the United States cannot maintain normal connection, blaming the administration of the US President Joe Biden.

“It is objectively impossible to maintain normal communication with the Biden administration, which declares the infliction of a strategic defeat on our country as a goal,” Lavrov said.

He added that Washington’s “confrontational anti-Russian course is becoming more and more acute and comprehensive.

Russian top brass reveals 950 multiple rocket launchers destroyed in Ukraine operation

Russian forces have wiped out 950 Ukrainian multiple rocket launchers and almost 400 surface-to-air missile systems since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.

"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation: 352 warplanes, 192 helicopters, 2,734 unmanned aerial vehicles, 399 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,282 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 950 multiple launch rocket systems, 3,737 field artillery guns and mortars," the spokesman said.

The Russian Armed Forces have also destroyed 7,792 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, the general added.

Russian forces eliminated over 30 Ukrainian troops and military hardware in the Kharkov Region in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk area, over 30 Ukrainian troops, three combat armored vehicles and two motor vehicles were destroyed as a result of strikes delivered on the Ukrainian army’s units in areas near the settlements of Sinkovka, Timkovka and Kislovka in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated over 170 military personnel of four Ukrainian army brigades in the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman area, artillery fire struck four company tactical groups of the Ukrainian army’s 25th airborne, 80th and 95th air assault brigades and also 103rd territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Novolyubovka and Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic and also the Serebryansky forestry," the spokesman said.

As a result, Russian forces destroyed over 170 Ukrainian troops, two armored personnel carriers and four pickup trucks, the general said.

Russian forces eliminated over 80 Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk area, over 80 Ukrainian servicemen, one tank, four combat armored vehicles and five motor vehicles were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of damage inflicted by firepower and active operations of Russian troops," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated over 70 Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries near Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk area, damage was inflicted on units of the Ukrainian army’s 72nd mechanized brigade and also foreign mercenaries near the city of Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Over 70 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries, five combat armored vehicles and two pickup trucks were destroyed," the spokesman said.

Russian forces obliterated two US-made M777 howitzers and a German-made FH70 howitzer in the Donetsk People’s Republic that had been shelling Donetsk residential areas, Konashenkov reported.

"In the counter-battery warfare, two M777 artillery systems of US manufacture and a German-made FH70 howitzer that had been shelling residential areas in the city of Donetsk were obliterated at firing positions near the community of Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

In the area of the city of Seversk, Russian forces wiped out three Ukrainian Grad multiple rocket launchers, the general added.

Russian forces eliminated a Ukrainian subversive group in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"A Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance group active in the area of the community of Vladimirovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic was eliminated," the spokesman said.

Russian forces struck five Ukrainian command posts and an ammunition depot in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Russian missile troops and artillery struck five Ukrainian army command posts in areas near the settlements of Dvurechnaya in the Kharkov Region, Yampolovka, Kirovo, Artyomovo and Novosyolka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, and also 72 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 97 areas. In the area of the settlement of Gulyaipole in the Zaporozhye Region, a depot of armaments and military hardware was destroyed," the spokesman said.

Russian forces wiped out three Ukrainian howitzers in the Kharkov and Kherson Regions and the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In areas near the settlements of Petropavlovka in the Kharkov Region, Berestovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Chernobayevka in the Kherson Region, three Ukrainian Msta-B howitzers were obliterated," the spokesman said.

In addition, Ukrainian D-20 and D-30 howitzers were destroyed near the communities of Georgiyevka and Maryinka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general added.

South Korean Defense Minister Apologizes for North Korean Drone Incident

Photo : YONHAP News

South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup on Wednesday apologized over the failure of the country's military to shoot down five North Korean drones that recently intruded in the South Korean airspace.

"I would like to say that I am sorry to the citizens about the result of the operation conducted in response to the North's drone provocation," Lee was quoted by Korean news agency as saying during a session of the parliament's national defense committee.

The minister also refuted media reports that the drones flew all the way to Yongsan, Seoul's central district, where the office of President Yoon Suk Yeol is located.

On Monday, Korean media reported, citing South Korean military, that a number of drones believed to be North Korean had crossed the inter-Korean border. South Korea tried to shoot the drones down and scrambled fighter jets and attack helicopters to intercept them. One of the aircraft, a KA-1 light attack plane, reportedly crashed during takeoff.

Four small North Korean drones flew in the area of Ganghwado Island in South Korea, and another flew up to the northern region of the metropolitan area, including Seoul. Yonhap later said that one drone managed to return back to the North, while the remaining four disappeared from radars.

The South Korean Defense Ministry called the violation of its airspace by North Korean drones "a clear provocation" and pledged to respond decisively.

Expressing regret over the outcome of the military operation, Lee explained that he received a briefing on the drone incursion at 12:10 p.m. on Monday and immediately reported the incident by phone to President Yoon Suk Yeol two minutes later.

The defense chief stressed that the drones did not fly near Seoul's Yongsan District, home of the presidential office, saying surveillance assets can confirm their flight path.

He also said photos taken of the drones will be submitted to parliament after proper security checks.

Regarding President Yoon's remarks about inadequate training under the previous administration, Lee admitted that related drills lacked intensity and practicality, and that there were no integrated maneuvers on asset response at the level of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the previous administration.