 "North Korean troops arrive in Russia’s 'combat zone', says Ukraine")
Ukraine said Thursday that North Korean troops have arrived in the “combat zone” in Russia’s Kursk border region, where Moscow has struggled to push back Ukrainian forces for months.
The Kremlin has previously dismissed reports about the North’s troop deployment as “fake news”. But Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that it was Moscow’s business how to implement a partnership treaty with Pyongyang.
“The first units of the DPRK military … have already arrived in the combat zone of the Russian-Ukrainian war,” Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence said, adding they had been “recorded” in the Kursk region on Wednesday.
Ukraine said the number of deployed North Koreans in Russia was about “12,000” troops, without specifying how many of them were in the Kursk region.
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin – who signed a mutual defence pact with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June – did not deny the reports.
“Russia never doubted that the DPRK is serious about Russian cooperation, we are in cooperation with our North Korean friends,” Putin said after hosting a summit of emerging economies.
“What we will do is our business,” he said.
The strongman leader then appeared to mock satellite images which purportedly showed North Korean troops on Russian soil.
“Images are a serious thing. If there are images they must show something.”
Putin was speaking hours after lawmakers in Russia’s lower house of parliament voted unanimously to ratify a treaty with North Korea that provides for “mutual assistance” if either party faces aggression.
Impact Shorts
View AllThe treaty is due to be fully ratified by the upper house on November 6.
Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov was appointed responsible for overseeing the training of North Korean military, the agency said.
Ukraine has earlier called on its allies to respond firmly to North Korean involvement into war by imposing new sanctions and further isolating Pyongyang.
On Wednesday, the U.S. said it had seen evidence that North Korea has sent 3,000 troops to Russia for possible deployment in Ukraine.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said the North had shipped 3,000 troops, including special forces, to Russia’s Far East for training and acclimatising at military bases there, probably to be deployed for combat in the war.
Moscow and Pyongyang ties grew deeper after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and they signed a comprehensive strategic partnership deal in June.
Putin has said the treaty included a mutual assistance clause for each side to help the other repel external aggression.
North Korea has supplied ballistic missiles and ammunition rounds to Russia for its war in Ukraine, Kyiv and its Western allies say. Pyongyang has denied this.
South Korea considers sending weapons
A South Korean official from the president’s office told reporters earlier this week that Seoul would “support (Ukraine) through defensive weaponry, and if things get out of line, we could consider sending offensive weapons”.
Seoul has already sold billions of dollars of tanks, howitzers, attack aircraft and rocket launchers to Poland, a key ally of Kyiv’s.
In June, South Korea agreed to transfer the knowledge needed to build K2 tanks to Poland, which experts have said could be a key step towards production inside Ukraine.
Yoon announced South Korea and Poland would sign a deal on a second contract for South Korean K2 tanks by the end of the year.
Duda was on a four-day visit to South Korea that will end on Friday, with a stop at Hyundai Rotem, producers of the K2 tanks, and at Hanwha Aerospace, South Korea’s largest defence contractor.
Hanwha Aerospace has signed a $1.64-billion deal with Poland to supply rocket artillery units.
Prior to Yoon and Duda’s meeting, a North Korean balloon carrying trash landed on Seoul’s presidential compound.
Korean media reported it contained propaganda leaflets ridiculing the South Korean president and his wife.
With inputs from agencies.
 "Zelenskyy calls Alaska summit ‘personal victory’ for Putin, says it delays sanctions, ends Russian leader's isolation")
 "National Guard moves into DC as Trump’s law-and-order push sparks backlash from mayors")
 "Perplexity offers $34.5bn for Google’s Chrome in bid to challenge search dominance")
 "Foreign ministers of 25 countries urge Israel to let aid into Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens")
 "Zelenskyy calls Alaska summit ‘personal victory’ for Putin, says it delays sanctions, ends Russian leader's isolation")
 "National Guard moves into DC as Trump’s law-and-order push sparks backlash from mayors")
 "Perplexity offers $34.5bn for Google’s Chrome in bid to challenge search dominance")
 "Foreign ministers of 25 countries urge Israel to let aid into Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens")
