NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that Russia has engaged troops from North Korea in the war against Ukraine. Currently, their units have been deployed in the Kursk region.
Points of attention
- Confirmation of North Korean troops in Kurshchyna by NATO Secretary General marks a significant escalation in Russia's war against Ukraine.
- Deployment of North Korean soldiers is seen as a sign of desperation on Putin's part and a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
- Military cooperation between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions, contributing to the escalation of conflict.
- Putin's reliance on foreign troops reflects the challenges faced by Russia in the ongoing conflict, as Ukrainians continue to defend their land with courage.
- NATO is discussing further military support to Ukraine to address new challenges arising from the involvement of North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine.
The NATO Secretary General called the deployment of North Korean troops in Kurshchyna a sign of Putin's "desperation".
Today I can confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and that North Korean units have been deployed in the Kursk region. The deployment of troops from the DPRK is a significant escalation in the case against this country, regarding its long-term participation in Russia's illegal war, and it is another violation of UN Security Council resolutions and a dangerous expansion of the war waged by the Russian Federation.
Mark Rutte
NATO Secretary General
He called on Russia and North Korea to "immediately stop these actions" and stressed that their military cooperation threatens security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions.
This undermines peace on the Korean peninsula and contributes to the escalation of Russia's war against Ukraine. Pyongyang has already supplied Russia with millions of munitions and ballistic missiles, fueling the conflict in Europe. In response, Putin provides North Korea with military technology, bypassing sanctions. This once again reminds us how important it is for democracies to remain united in the defense of common values and security, Rütte emphasized.
He called the deployment of North Korean troops "a sign of desperation" on the part of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
More than 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in the war, and now Putin is forced to turn to other countries for help. Ukrainians continue to defend their land with courage and determination. NATO will continue to support Ukraine, because its security is our security, the Secretary General added.
Rütte also noted that NATO is discussing further strengthening of military support to Ukraine and is conducting consultations with Alliance members, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific partners to respond to new challenges.
North Korea enters the war against Ukraine on the side of the Russian Federation
On October 13, the head of state Volodymyr Zelensky officially confirmed that North Korea supplies Russia not only with weapons, but also with its soldiers.
According to the president, Putin intends to involve about 10,000 soldiers from North Korea in the war against Ukraine.
On October 18, the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, confirmed that about 11,000 North Korean infantrymen are currently undergoing training in eastern Russia. They will be ready to participate in hostilities against Ukraine from November 1.
On October 23, official Seoul warned that North Korea had sent 3,000 troops to Russia to support the Russian army in the war against Ukraine.
What is important to understand is that the first units of foreign soldiers, who were trained at the eastern Russian training grounds, have already arrived in the combat zone — on October 23, they were spotted in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
