South Korea says it has deep concerns after U.S. officials said there is evidence of North Korean troops in Russia. Now, South Korea says it may consider arming Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin says North Korea has deployed troops to Russia, the first US official to publicly confirm the developmenthttps://t.co/p68Zd5DGey
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) October 23, 2024
At a press conference following the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time commented on the possible involvement of North Korean troops in his war against Ukraine. Putin was responding to questions on reports that North Korean soldiers had been seen on Russian territory, likely in preparation for participation in the conflict, according to Russian media.
It said the North Koreans will form part of a “Special Buryat Battalion,” organized within the 11th separate airborne assault brigade of the Russian Armed Forces.
The battalion is expected to include up to 3,000 North Korean troops and is currently being supplied with small arms and ammunition.
The battalion could be deployed in the Kursk region near Sudzha and the city of Kursk, close to the Ukrainian border, though details surrounding potential deployments remain unclear.
In return for the troops, Russia would provide Pyongyang with financial assistance and modern technology to help the country develop its nuclear program and expand its nuclear arsenal, according to HUR’s chief, Kyrylo Budanov.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) reports that North Korean soldiers are already present in the combat zone at this point. On the 23rd of October their presence was reported in the Kursk Oblast.
Here is the entire statement:
50 meters of toilet paper and 300 grams of soap – how Russia is preparing North Korean troops for war against Ukraine The first military units from the DPRK, which underwent training at the eastern Russian training grounds, have already arrived in the combat zone of the Russian-Ukrainian war – in particular, on October 23, 2024, their appearance was recorded in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. The training of the soldiers of the DPRK army who have arrived in Russia takes place at five military training grounds located in the east of the aggressor state – “Baranovsky” (Ussuriysk), “Donguz” (Ulan-Ude), “Yekaterinoslavsky” (Yekaterinslavka), 248th ( Knyazye-Volkonskoye) and 249th (Sergeyevka).
Several weeks are allocated for the coordination of the military from North Korea, which Russia intends to use in the war against Ukraine. According to the estimates of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the number of North Korean soldiers transferred to Russia is now about 12,000 people, including 500 officers, including three Pyongyang generals.
Moscow has appointed Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Yunus-Bek Yevkurov to be responsible for monitoring the training and adaptation of the DPRK troops.
Soldiers sent by Pyongyang are equipped with ammunition, bedding, winter clothes and shoes, as well as hygiene. In particular, Moscow will allocate 50 meters of toilet paper and 300 grams of soap per month to each North Korean, in accordance with established norms.
The Kremlin has high hopes for the North Korean component in the war against Ukraine and the global confrontation with the West.
Sources:
@DI_Ukraine
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/41104