Several countries have sounded the alarm about what they believe is North Korea’s increasingly large role in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Now Putin has commented on the claims. In an interview with a Russian TV journalist, Putin emphasizes that it is Russia’s right, as an independent country, to decide whether to accept military aid from North Korea. Including soldiers. – This is our business, Putin said. He also referred to a defense agreement that Russia and North Korea concluded this summer. There, the countries promise to give each other mutual military aid if they are exposed to aggression. Staggering numbers On Friday, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said that they have intelligence showing that North Korea has sent at least 1,500 soldiers to Russia to help in the war. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has also said that they believe that North Korean soldiers are training in Russia. But the US believes that it is about 3,000 soldiers. White House security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Thursday. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the soldiers are already in the Russian Kursk region, which is partially occupied by Ukrainian soldiers. Mission in Ukraine The first reports that North Korea had sent soldiers to Russia came around one week ago. Then Ukraine’s intelligence claimed that 12,000 North Korean soldiers had been sent to Russia and were training at various military bases. Shortly afterwards, South Korea’s national intelligence shared satellite images which, among other things, are supposed to show North Korean soldiers in Russia. South Korea claimed that North Korea had promised to send 10,000 soldiers to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi also said that North Korean officers had already been in Ukraine. – I think they have sent officers first to assess the situation before sending soldiers, Zelenskyj told reporters. Investigating North Korea Ukraine has now started an investigation into North Korea for international crimes. Specifically, the so-called crime of aggression. In other words, a “gross violation of the UN Charter’s prohibition on using military force (against another state) other than in self-defence”, according to the Norwegian Academy’s dictionary. – We are documenting and gathering evidence for all parts of such involvement, the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Friday. Reuters reports. They point to: Accusations that North Korea has sold weapons to Russia. Training with Russian personnel. Participation in combat actions. Interested in abroad? Listen to the foreign affairs editor’s podcast: Published 25 October 2024, at 12.36 Updated 25/10/2024, at 13.19
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