The NATO military alliance has confirmed that North Korean troops have moved to Russia's Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.
Speaking in Brussels on October 28, NATO chief Mark Rutte called the move a "significant escalation" in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and said it shows Russian President Vladimir Putin's "desperation" after "more than 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded" in the war.
Rutte’s comments follow weeks of reports suggesting that North Korea was sending troops to Russia in a further sign of increasingly closer ties that include the delivery of North Korean ammunition and weapons for use against Ukraine.
The latest reports, which originated from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, have suggested that more than 3,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, with more than 12,000 expected by December.
Fighter pilots are also among the personnel being sent to Russia, according to South Korean intelligence.
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NATO Secretary-General Confirms North Korean Troops In Russia
There are rising concerns that the troops and pilots could boost Russian forces in Ukraine, while some analysts have suggested that they may be intended to defend Russian territory or to construct defenses in Russian-held territory in Ukraine.
Last week, South Korean politicians who had been briefed by the country’s spy agency said that the North Korean soldiers sent to Russia had not been deployed in combat zones in Ukraine but were receiving “specialized training” at various locations for military equipment, including drones.
In his remarks, NATO chief Rutte said that North Korean troops had been deployed near Russia’s western border with Ukraine.
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“I can confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and that North Korean military units have been deployed to the Kursk region,” he said, mentioning the Russian region that was the target of a surprise Ukrainian incursion in August.
Rutte’s remarks came after a high-level South Korean delegation, including top intelligence and military officials, addressed officials at NATO headquarters.
Putin first visited North Korea to hold talks with its leader, Kim Jong Un, in 2000.
With both sides heavily sanctioned by the international community, Moscow and Pyongyang have worked to expand their military and trade ties, particularly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In September 2023, Putin and Kim met at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East, and in June Putin got the red carpet treatment during his return to North Korea.
Their dealings reportedly include North Korea’s provision of ammunition and weaponry, including missiles, to Russia in exchange for Moscow possibly helping Pyongyang with its controversial space program.
The United States has previously expressed concerns about the "deepening relationship between these two countries."
Following the latest reports that 12,000 North Korean troops were expected to be sent to Russia, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said this week that they would be “fair game” in Ukraine’s efforts to stave off invading Russian forces.
“They're fair targets, and the Ukrainian military will defend themselves against North Korean soldiers the same way they’re defending themselves against Russian soldiers,” Kirby told reporters on October 23. “There could be dead and wounded North Korean soldiers fighting against Ukraine.”
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun reportedly told lawmakers last week that North Korea’s troops sent to Russia would include special forces, military engineers, and artillery troops intended to augment Russia’s military.
Seoul would “not stand by and do nothing” in the face of the significant “provocation,” he told NBC News.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had warned that Russia intended to deploy troops from North Korea in combat areas as early as October 27. He called for "tangible" international pressure on the two countries to get them to respect UN legislation.
"The world can clearly see Russia's true intentions: to continue the war," he said. "This is why a principled and strong response from global leaders is essential."