North Korea Confirms Troops Deployed to Russia Amid Ukraine War

Photo : AFP

North Korea has confirmed for the first time that it sent soldiers to help Russia in the war with Ukraine. North Korea says its soldiers helped Russia take back control of the Kursk area, which is a border region.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un decided to send the troops to help Russia. He said the mission was important to defend Russia from the “invasion” by Ukraine. North Korea’s news agency, KCNA, said this mission was a success and that the troops did a good job.

North Korea and Russia made an agreement last year to help each other with military support. Kim Jong Un ordered his soldiers to destroy Ukrainian forces and protect Russia. He called this a “sacred mission” to help Russia.

Russia also said it has kicked Ukraine out of the Kursk region. This is a big win for Russia. But Ukraine says it is still holding its ground in Kursk and is not fully driven out. The situation is unclear, and no one can prove exactly what is happening there.

U.S. President Donald Trump has talked about the war, saying Russia and Ukraine are very close to making a deal. Some people think this deal might help Russia. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hopes for a “lasting peace” after meeting Trump.

If North Korea’s claim is true, it could help Kim Jong Un show that his country’s military is strong. North Korea has one of the largest armies in the world, with around 1.3 million active soldiers. But South Korea’s spy agency says that North Korean soldiers might not understand modern warfare well, which could hurt their effectiveness in battle.

Though North Korea only recently confirmed it, there were signs before that its soldiers were in Ukraine. In January, Ukraine’s army captured two North Korean soldiers. South Korea also believes about 300 North Korean soldiers have died while helping Russia. It’s also said that around 10,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia last fall.

South Korea has strongly criticized North Korea for sending soldiers to Russia. They said this goes against United Nations rules. They want North Korean troops to leave Russia right away. South Korea also said it would work with other countries to take action if North Korea and Russia continue working together in the war.

Kim Jong Un has been showing off North Korea’s military strength. Just recently, he attended the launch of a new destroyer ship, which is said to have powerful weapons. North Korea wants to improve its military forces, especially its navy.

The growing relationship between Russia and North Korea worries many countries. The U.S. and South Korea are concerned that this partnership might upset the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region, where there are rising tensions between China and the U.S. North Korea’s increasing role in the war and its efforts to improve its weapons make people nervous about what might happen next.

There is also fear that Russia might help North Korea build its nuclear weapons and missiles, which would make the global situation even more dangerous.