North Korea confirms troops fighting for Russia in Ukraine war
North Korea officially confirmed for the first time that it has sent troops to support Russia in the war with Ukraine. The decision was reportedly made based on a defense treaty with Moscow, reports the South Korean Yonhap agency. Prior to this confirmation, Pyongyang had denied that North Korean soldiers were participating in the conflict against Ukraine.
According to reports, the decision to dispatch troops was made by North Korea's Central Military Commission on the orders of Kim Jong Un.
This deployment occurred several months ago when thousands of North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia to fight on the front lines in the Kursk region.
In the fall, Ukrainian intelligence estimated that the number of North Korean soldiers fighting on Russia's side could exceed 10,000. At that time, Pyongyang's representation at the UN dismissed this information as "groundless rumors."
The day before, the Kremlin also officially confirmed for the first time the presence of North Korean soldiers within its army ranks.
Putin met with Kim: a significant treaty was signed
In June 2024, Vladimir Putin visited North Korea. It was the first visit by the Russian leader to this country in 24 years. He met with Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang and signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.
The agreement includes a mutual defense clause under which both parties are obligated to support each other in the event of external aggression. It was based on this agreement that Kim's troops were deployed in Russia.
The Russian leader stated at that time that Russia does not rule out developing military-technical cooperation with North Korea as part of this agreement. Russian media reported that security and international affairs dominated the meeting with Kim Jong Un.
Kim Jong Un supports Russia
In 2022, after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang became closer, mainly due to Western sanctions imposed on Moscow and Russia's attempts to circumvent these restrictions.
The United States and South Korea accused the authorities in Pyongyang of supplying weapons to Russia for use during the war in Ukraine. Both Russia and North Korea rejected these accusations.
