Russia has confirmed for the first time that North Korean troops have been deployed and are fighting alongside Moscow in the war against Ukraine.
Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, acknowledged the role of North Korean fighters in the Kursk border region, in line with the Treaty on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for Russia’s foreign ministry, also made a similar statement. However, North Korea has not confirmed the dispatch of its forces.
Both South Korea and the US believe that North Korea has sent approximately 11 thousand troops to the frontlines in Ukraine since October of last year, in support of Moscow’s aggression.
The partnership treaty between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was signed during their summit in June of the previous year, in which both leaders committed to providing military support “without delay” in the event that either of them comes under attack.