North Korea bolsters Russian forces with troops in Ukraine war
North Korea has officially confirmed for the first time that it has sent troops to support Russia in the war against Ukraine. This decision was reportedly made based on a defence treaty with Moscow, according to the South Korean Yonhap agency. Previously, Pyongyang had denied that North Korean soldiers were participating in the conflict against Ukraine.
According to reports, the decision to send troops was made by North Korea's Central Military Commission on the orders of Kim Jong Un.
The deployment of soldiers occurred several months ago when thousands of North Korean soldiers were dispatched to Russia, to fight on the front in the Kursk region.
In autumn, Ukrainian intelligence estimated that the number of North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russia could exceed 10,000. At that time, Pyongyang's representation at the UN described this information as "groundless rumours."
The day before, the Kremlin also officially confirmed for the first time the presence of North Korean soldiers in the ranks of its army.
Putin met with Kim. A significant treaty was signed
In June 2024, Vladimir Putin visited North Korea. It was the first visit by the Russian leader to this country in 24 years. Putin met with Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang and signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.
The agreement includes a mutual defence clause under which both parties are to provide support to each other in the event of external aggression. It was based on this agreement that Kim's troops were sent to Russia.
The Russian leader stated at that time that Russia does not rule out developing military-technical cooperation with North Korea as part of this agreement. Russian media reported that security and international affairs significantly contributed to the meeting with Kim Jong Un.
Kim Jong Un supports Russia
In 2022, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang strengthened, mainly due to Western sanctions imposed on Moscow and Russia's attempts to circumvent these restrictions.
The United States and South Korea accused authorities in Pyongyang of supplying weapons to Russia for use during the war in Ukraine. Russia and North Korea rejected these accusations.
