kim-jong-confirms-sending-troops-to-russia-for-ukraine-war

North Korea has officially confirmed that it sent troops to Russia to bolster Moscow's war efforts against Ukraine, a move that had been previously reported by intelligence agencies.

 

Although CIA and intelligence sources from South Korea and Ukraine had earlier confirmed the presence of 10,000 to 12,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia last fall, Pyongyang had refrained from acknowledging the deployment until now.

 

The confirmation came in a statement from the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party. According to the statement, leader Kim Jong Un authorised the troop movement under a mutual defence agreement between North Korea and Russia.

 

Kim justified the deployment, declaring that the North Korean forces were there to "annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and liberate the Kursk area in cooperation with the Russian armed forces." Kim also praised the troops, stating, "They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honour of the motherland."

 

Earlier this year, South Korea's military and its intelligence services reported that North Korea had sent an additional 3,000 troops to Russia after heavy casualties were sustained by the initial contingent. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff assessed that approximately 4,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded in the ongoing conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had also put the number of casualties at around 4,000, though US intelligence estimates were somewhat lower, around 1,200.

 

On Sunday, Russian spokesperson Maria Zakharova publicly praised the bravery of North Korean soldiers deployed in the Ukraine conflict. "Our North Korean soldier fought and stood at the front lines and with sheer will and determination, they not only held the offensive but also assisted in taking back the Kursk region from Ukrainian control since 2022," Zakharova stated.

 

This marks a significant step in Pyongyang's ongoing support for Russia in the Ukraine conflict, further solidifying the military and political ties between the two nations.