NATO chief Mark Rutte on Monday confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Russia, calling their deployment a “threat to security” and a “significant escalation” of the war in Ukraine. Rutte hinted the troops may be a sign of the “growing desperation” of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who did not deny the arrival of the troops in Russia.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed on Monday that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and military units have been deployed to its Kursk region, while Ukraine urged allies to supply weapons and allow deep strikes into Russia in response.
“The deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a threat to both Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security,” Rutte told reporters after NATO officials and diplomats were briefed by a South Korean delegation.
Ukrainian military intelligence said on Thursday that the first North Korean units had already been recorded in the Kursk border region, where Ukrainian troops have been operating since staging a major incursion in August.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Kyiv had been warning about the deployment for weeks, yet there was no strong response from allies.
(Reuters)
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