Reports of North Korea’s involvement in the war in Ukraine have caused worldwide concern. The US Pentagon talks about 10,000 North Korean soldiers supporting Russia. NATO confirms corresponding reports.
According to estimates from the US Department of Defense, the number of North Korean soldiers sent to Russia is around 10,000. “We estimate that North Korea has sent a total of about 10,000 troops to eastern Russia for training, and they are likely to reinforce Russian forces near Ukraine in the coming weeks,” the Pentagon’s deputy spokesman said Sabrina Singh.
Some of these North Korean soldiers have already moved closer to Ukraine. There are fears of an operation in the Kursk region of Russia near the border with Ukraine. If the North Korean soldiers are actually deployed on the battlefield, this will mean a further escalation of the war and will also show the “growing desperation” of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces have suffered “extraordinary losses” on the battlefield, Singh said.
It is “a sign that Putin may be in more trouble than people realize.” There would be “serious implications for security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region,” Singh also warned of the use of North Korea in a war of aggression against Russia.
NATO confirms the deployment of the North Korean troops
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte previously confirmed that North Korean troops had been sent to Russia, possibly for later use in the war against Ukraine. Some of the soldiers are already deployed in the Kursk region of Russia, where Kremlin troops are trying to roll back the advance of the Ukrainian army. Rutte spoke of a “significant increase”.
According to NATO, Russian President Vladimir Putin is now urgently relying on this support from abroad to continue his aggressive war. “More than 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured in Putin’s war, and he is unable to sustain his attack on Ukraine without foreign support,” said Rutte, the new NATO chief.
“The increased military cooperation between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to security in both the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic region,” Rutte said. He pointed out that North Korea had previously provided Russia with millions of rounds of ammunition and ballistic missiles. These provoked a serious conflict in the heart of Europe.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea is expected in Russia
Putin himself does not deny the presence of North Korean soldiers and points out that Ukraine also depends on personnel from NATO countries.
According to Russian intelligence, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui was expected to return to Moscow after a three-day visit to the Russian capital in January.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj recently called for an international reaction to the possible deployment of North Korean soldiers on the Russian side. “Ukraine will be forced to confront North Korea in Europe,” the head of state said. Without decisive steps from allies, Russian President Vladimir Putin will only be encouraged to commit more “terrorism”, he warned.