North Korean troops bolster Russia: UK warns of desperation
"Russia is getting weaker," said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday. He was referring to reports about North Korean soldiers potentially participating in the war against Ukraine.
2:44 PM EDT, October 18, 2024
Starmer stated that if these reports are confirmed, it would indicate Russia's "level of desperation" in its conflict with Ukraine.
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"Russia is getting weaker," said Starmer, emphasizing that Western allies remain "absolutely united" to supporting Kyiv.
Starmer, along with Biden, Macron, and Scholz, held a four-party meeting in Berlin on Friday. They discussed the potential resolution of Russia's war against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.
For several days, Ukrainian media have reported the formation of a "special Buryat battalion" in the Russian army, consisting of North Korean citizens. On Tuesday, the Ukrainska Pravda portal reported that it may be deployed for combat tasks in the Kursk region of Russia, where Ukrainian forces have been active since August 6.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that "We know about 10,000 soldiers of North Korea, that they are preparing to send to fight against us." He mentioned that there is already a group of North Korean officers on territories in Ukraine occupied by Russian troops.
The Russian investigative portal The Insider published footage on Friday that allegedly shows the training of North Korean soldiers on a training ground in Russia.
South Korea convenes an urgent meeting
On the same day, the South Korean intelligence agency, NIS, reported that North Korea decided to send about 10,000 soldiers, including special forces, to support Russia in the war against Ukraine. The first contingent, about 1,500 soldiers, is already in Russia.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol convened an urgent meeting on Friday with representatives from the intelligence agency, military, and national security services.
