More than 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to eastern Russia, with most moving to the Kursk region, where they have begun to participate in combat operations with Russian forces, Patel reported. These actions come a day after North Korea ratified its strategic partnership treaty with Russia, which includes a mutual defense clause, and after sending troops in support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to Ukraine and some allies, North Korea has deployed around 11,000 soldiers in Russia. Although Russia has not confirmed or denied the presence of North Korean troops on its territory, it claims that the treaty with Pyongyang is defensive in nature and not directed against the security of third countries. In a recent report by the Russian news agency TASS, President Vladimir Putin mentioned the possibility of joint military exercises with North Korea, further deepening their military cooperation.
In the Russian region of Kursk, about 50,000 Russian and North Korean soldiers have entered combat against Ukrainian forces, according to a Ukrainian government official quoted by the Japanese news agency Kyodo. "Intense fighting" has been reported on the front, with casualties among North Korean soldiers, which coincides with the confirmation from the United States that North Korean troops are involved in clashes with Ukrainian forces.
Vedant Patel, deputy spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, emphasized Western concerns about the deployment of North Korean troops and its impact on the conflict in Ukraine.
