The United States estimates {that a} complete of 10,000 North Korean troops are current in Russia. Seoul and its allies mentioned the quantity had elevated to 11,000, whereas Ukraine put the determine larger, as much as 12,000.
The Biden administration has mentioned that about 8,000 North Korean troops at the moment are in Russia, close to the border with Ukraine, and are making ready to assist the Kremlin struggle Ukrainian troops within the coming days.
The new determine is a dramatic enhance from the day earlier than, when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned solely that “some” of the troops had moved towards Ukraine’s border within the Kursk area, the place Moscow’s forces have struggled to repel a Ukrainian incursion.
It would additionally imply that a lot of the North Korean troops that the United States and its allies say have been despatched to Russia at the moment are positioned on the Russia-Ukraine border.
“DPRK (North Korea) participation in fight towards Ukraine would characterize an alarming growth of the battle. The deployment of DPRK troops to Russia already marks a harmful growth of Russian-DPRK ties,” mentioned Robert A. Wood , deputy American ambassador to North Korea. United Nations, he mentioned at a Security Council session.
“Russia’s actions in the direction of the DPRK should not solely harmful, however are antithetical to its duty as a everlasting member of the United Nations Security Council. Russia’s navy cooperation with the DPRK violates a number of UN Security Council resolutions, which prohibit each the procurement of DPRK weapons and the availability of navy coaching.”
The United States estimates {that a} complete of 10,000 North Korean troops are current in Russia. Seoul and its allies mentioned the quantity had elevated to 11,000, whereas Ukraine put the determine larger, as much as 12,000.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned that though North Korean troops have been deployed in Kursk, they haven’t but taken half in any hostilities.
“They are already within the Kursk area. They will use these troops. Of course, these folks will die. Of course, they may attempt to do every little thing to guarantee that extra North Korean troopers die, which suggests they may push extra North Korean troopers. additional than Russia. And so we’ll see these victims with you,” he mentioned in an interview with South Korean tv channel KBS.
Deepening the connection
North Korea’s transfer to deepen its relations with Russia has raised issues around the globe about how this might increase the warfare and what Russian navy support can be offered in return.
It was a key matter throughout a gathering between U.S. and South Korean leaders this week in Washington, fueling issues that the presence of North Korean troops may additional destabilize the Asia-Pacific area and widen Moscow’s warfare towards Ukraine.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul condemned the deployment “within the strongest doable phrases” and referred to as for the instant withdrawal of troops.
North Korea’s belligerent actions not solely endanger the European continent but in addition the Korean Peninsula, and Seoul agrees “to take essential measures accordingly,” he mentioned.
There are additionally questions on what new navy applied sciences North Korea may get from Russia in alternate for the deployment and whether or not which may immediate different nations to ship their very own forces to struggle within the warfare.
Meanwhile, the director of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs advised the Security Council that each Russia and Ukraine continued to obtain weapons, ammunition and different types of navy help from different international locations, fueling the combating .
“Recent stories additionally check with the presence of third-party navy personnel within the Russian Federation to help in navy operations towards Ukrainian forces. We urge all involved to chorus from any steps that would result in additional extension and intensification of the warfare “, Adedeji Ebo mentioned.
