Russia invites North Korean troops amid staggering losses
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced on Monday that approximately 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured since the start of the war in Ukraine. In his view, the immense scale of human losses compels Vladimir Putin to seek foreign support in the form of North Korean soldiers.
Over 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured in Putin's war, and he cannot continue his assault on Ukraine without foreign support," said Mark Rutte, as quoted by the "Daily Mail".
Following a meeting with a South Korean delegation, the NATO Secretary General highlighted that "the increasing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea poses a risk to the security of both the Indo-Pacific region and the Euro-Atlantic." Rutte added that North Korean soldiers have arrived in the Kursk region.
Rutte emphasised that the presence of North Korean soldiers in Russia is a "significant escalation" and a breach of the UN Security Council resolutions. He regards it as a "dangerous expansion" of the war and a sign of "growing desperation" by Vladimir Putin.
Although the Kremlin dismissed the reports of North Korean troops as "fake news", Putin did not deny this information, merely stating that it is an internal matter for Moscow, regarding how it honours agreements with Pyongyang. A North Korean representative to the UN described these reports as "baseless rumours."
The Ukrainian side speaks about sanctions for North Korea
The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, stressed that sanctions are not an adequate response to Pyongyang's involvement. "North Korean soldiers are already in the Kursk region... This is an escalation. Sanctions are not enough. We need weapons and a clear plan, to prevent the expansion of North Korea's involvement in the war in Europe," wrote Yermak on platform X.
The Ukrainian politician added that Western allies should respond decisively because "the enemy only understands strength."
As the "Daily Mail" indicates, Ukrainian intelligence also released recordings in which Russian soldiers complain about the arrival of North Korean troops and issues related to their equipment and integration with Russian units.
