NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia, specifically to the Kursk region, highlighting the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, Reuters reports.
Rutte called the North Korean deployment a significant escalation in Russia’s war in Ukraine, framing it as a threat to security in both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions and a breach of UN Security Council resolutions. He emphasized that the deployment reflects “growing desperation” from Russian President Vladimir Putin due to heavy losses, claiming that Russia has suffered over 600,000 casualties.
The Kremlin dismissed the reports of North Korean troops as “fake news,” although Putin acknowledged the presence of North Korean soldiers in Russia, asserting it was Russia’s business on how to manage its partnership with Pyongyang. A North Korean UN representative also dismissed the reports as “groundless rumors.”
