Rudolph Angler NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently confirmed that North Korean troops have been deployed to assist Russia in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, marking the first instance of foreign ground troops directly joining the conflict on Russia’s side. Speaking at a press conference on October 28, 2024, Rutte described the deployment as a sign of Russia’s strategic weakness, suggesting that President Vladimir Putin cannot sustain the war on Ukraine without external support. Intelligence sources, including South Korea’s National Intelligence Service and other NATO allies, indicate that North Korean forces have been stationed in Russia’s Kursk region, where combat with Ukrainian forces is ongoing.
Rutte emphasized the rising toll on Russian forces, noting that over 600,000 Russian soldiers have reportedly been killed or wounded since the invasion began, underscoring Russia’s need for reinforcement from allies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian forces are preparing to encounter North Korean troops on the battlefield soon, reflecting the urgency of this development.
The move has heightened tensions in South Korea, which condemned North Korea’s involvement and indicated it may consider sending weapons to Ukraine in response. NATO has called for both Russia and North Korea to withdraw, citing broader security risks to the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions. In response to international criticism, Putin asserted that Russia’s use of North Korean troops is a matter of national sovereignty, dismissing external pressures.