At a press conference following the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time commented on the possible involvement of North Korean troops in his war against Ukraine. Putin was responding to questions on reports that North Korean soldiers had been seen on Russian territory, likely in preparation for participation in the conflict, according to Russian media.
An NBC News journalist, citing satellite images, asked Putin about the purpose of North Korean soldiers being in Russia, asking, “What are these North Korean troops doing here? And could this not be considered a serious escalation of the conflict?”
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Responding, Putin remarked, “Satellite images are a serious matter, and if they exist, they must show something.” He then went on to once again deny that Russia was responsible for escalating the war, accusing the West of supporting Ukraine and helping it wage war.
“But I want to draw your attention to the fact that it was not Russia's actions that led to the escalation in Ukraine, but the 2014 coup, primarily supported by the United States,” Putin said.
He also reminded the audience that earlier this year, a “comprehensive strategic partnership” agreement was signed in Pyongyang between Russia and North Korea. The document, ratified by the State Duma, provides for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against either side, which they could use as a pretext for cooperation between the two countries in the current conflict.
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“We never doubted that North Korea’s leadership takes our agreements seriously. But what we will do and how, is our business within the framework of this provision.” Putin said.
According to Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR), the first units of North Korean soldiers arrived in Russia’s Kursk region close to the combat zone on Oct. 23. HUR estimated that the number of North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia is now around 12,000, including 500 officers, among them three generals from Pyongyang.
Though North Korean troops may soon bolster Russian forces in Kursk, analysts doubt their impact as Moscow faces manpower shortages and high casualties.
The South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) said these soldiers are receiving training at Russian military bases, where they have been issued Russian uniforms and fake documents identifying them as Buryats and Yakuts, two of Russia’s Asian ethnic minorities in Siberia.
While the Kremlin had been recruiting people from developing nations such as Cuba, Nepal, Yemen, Sri Lanka and India to join the war, the entry of regular North Korean troops would mark the first state sanctioned foreign troop deployment to fight alongside Moscow’s troops.
NIS also claimed these were not just ordinary soldiers but elite troops from North Korea’s 11th Army, known as the Storm Corps. These soldiers were said to be well-equipped and trained units of mobile light infantry, as opposed to other regular troops who sometimes lack adequate combat training.
North Korea is stepping in as Russia is grappling with heavy losses by providing the latter with personnel along with weapons and equipment, Kyiv Post sources in HUR said.
It said the North Koreans will form part of a “Special Buryat Battalion,” organized within the 11th separate airborne assault brigade of the Russian Armed Forces.
The battalion is expected to include up to 3,000 North Korean troops and is currently being supplied with small arms and ammunition.
The battalion could be deployed in the Kursk region near Sudzha and the city of Kursk, close to the Ukrainian border, though details surrounding potential deployments remain unclear.
In return for the troops, Russia would provide Pyongyang with financial assistance and modern technology to help the country develop its nuclear program and expand its nuclear arsenal, according to HUR’s chief, Kyrylo Budanov.
Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” (Хочу жить) project, a surrender hotline operated by HUR, has called on North Korean soldiers sent to fight against Ukraine to surrender and avoid participating in combat operations.
Ukraine and South Korea both claimed in mid-October that Pyongyang had deployed troops to aid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, likely as a result of the June 18 mutual defense pact.
This is a developing story. Read more about North Korean troop deployments in Ukraine here.
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