Second US Submarine Arrives in South Korea amid North Korea Tensions

A crew patrols on the deck of US Ballistic Missile Submarine USS Kentucky anchored at Busan Naval Base, in Busan, South Korea, July 19, 2023. WOOHAE CHO/Pool via REUTERS
A crew patrols on the deck of US Ballistic Missile Submarine USS Kentucky anchored at Busan Naval Base, in Busan, South Korea, July 19, 2023. WOOHAE CHO/Pool via REUTERS
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Second US Submarine Arrives in South Korea amid North Korea Tensions

A crew patrols on the deck of US Ballistic Missile Submarine USS Kentucky anchored at Busan Naval Base, in Busan, South Korea, July 19, 2023. WOOHAE CHO/Pool via REUTERS
A crew patrols on the deck of US Ballistic Missile Submarine USS Kentucky anchored at Busan Naval Base, in Busan, South Korea, July 19, 2023. WOOHAE CHO/Pool via REUTERS

A US nuclear-powered submarine arrived in South Korea on Monday, only days after the first US nuclear armed submarine made port in the country in four decades, as the two allies seek to boost American strategic assets to deter North Korea.

The USS Annapolis entered a naval base in South Korea' southern island of Jeju, to load military supplies while on an unspecified operational mission, the South Korean navy said.

"The two countries' navies plan to strengthen the combined defense posture with the arrival of the USS Annapolis, and conduct exchange activities to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the alliance," it said in a statement.

The USS Kentucky, a US ballistic missile submarine, made port in South Korea last Tuesday. It was the first visit since the 1980s of a US nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) and coincided with the launch of talks between the US and South Korea to coordinate responses in the event of a nuclear war with North Korea, Reuters said.

North Korea launched two ballistic missiles on Wednesday hours after the USS Kentucky's visit, and again fired several cruise missiles on Saturday.

The USS Annapolis is not nuclear-armed unlike the USS Kentucky and specializes in anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare, and joined trilateral anti-submarine exercises with South Korea and Japan last September in international waters off the Korean peninsula.



Zelenskiy Presents New Joint Forces Commander to Ukraine Troops

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens to Ukrainian service members during his visit to a frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine June 26, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens to Ukrainian service members during his visit to a frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine June 26, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)
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Zelenskiy Presents New Joint Forces Commander to Ukraine Troops

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens to Ukrainian service members during his visit to a frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine June 26, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens to Ukrainian service members during his visit to a frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine June 26, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy presented the new joint forces commander on Wednesday to troops defending the eastern frontline region of Donetsk.

Zelenskiy announced on Monday he was appointing Brigadier-General Andriy Hnatov to the post, which involves strategic planning of operations, replacing Lieutenant-General Yuri Sodol who had faced criticism over serious military setbacks.

Hnatov's main tasks include "preserving as many fighters' lives as possible" while repelling the invading Russian forces, Zelenskiy said in a video address posted on social media.

One of his meetings during the trip addressed security and support for the people of the Donetsk region, including water provision, social issues and evacuation, Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app.

Zelenskiy recorded the video address against the backdrop of a city sign of Pokrovsk, along part of the front that has seen some of the most intense fighting during Russia's 28-month-long full-scale invasion.

In the video, he expressed surprise that some relevant government officials had not visited the region in six months or more.

"There will be a separate conversation in Kyiv, particularly with officials who must be here and in other areas near the frontline – in difficult communities where people need immediate solutions," Zelenskiy said. "Solutions that simply cannot be seen from Kyiv."

Zelenskiy and his army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi also listened to reports from frontline positions.

Ukraine's military has found itself on the back foot this spring as Russian forces opened a new front in the northeastern region of Kharkiv in May and continued to press Ukrainian forces in other directions.