“The DPRK can send civilians to Russia to work in military factories — Zelenskyi October 31, 18:22 Share: North Korean soldiers on parade in the DPRK, February 2023 (Photo: KCNA via REUTERS) President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that Russia is negotiating with North Korea regarding the supply of engineering troops, as well as civilians who will work at military plants of the Russian Federation. “Individually, we know that there is an agreement regarding”, — write on: ua.news
North Korean soldiers on parade in North Korea, February 2023 (Photo: KCNA via REUTERS)
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, said that Russia is making arrangements with North Korea regarding the supply of engineering troops, as well as civilians who will work at Russian military factories.
“Separately, we know that there is an agreement on the supply of engineering troops, as well as civilians, a large number of civilians from North Korea in order for them to work at certain military plants of the Russian Federation,” Zelenskyy said during an interview with the South Korean TV channel KBS in Thursday, October 31.
According to the president, if Russian dictator Vladimir Putin does not see a reaction from the West to the deployment of North Korean troops, he will make a decision to increase the contingent.
“I believe that it will be the same as with Crimea, when the West and various partners did not react to Putin’s occupation of our peninsula 10 years ago. There were no loud steps… After that, Putin launched a full-scale invasion. The same with the North Korean contingent. Putin is checking the reaction of the West, NATO countries and the reaction of South Korea. I believe that after all these reactions, Putin will decide to increase the contingent,” Zelensky said.
With the entry into the war of North Korea, new challenges appear — Danylyuk called the only way out for Ukraine
On October 29, the Financial Times, citing unnamed high-ranking Ukrainian intelligence officials, reported that about three thousand North Korean soldiers had been brought to the Kursk region of the Russian Federation and stationed approximately 50 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Also, on October 30, EU High Representative Josep Borrell said that the European Intelligence Center confirmed the presence of several thousand North Korean military personnel on the territory of Russia.
The participation of North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine and the reaction of South Korea
Earlier, South Korean intelligence reported that the DPRK decided to send 12,000 soldiers, including a special-purpose unit, to the war against Ukraine.
On October 22, it became known that South Korea is considering the possibility of sending its troops to Ukraine after the DPRK sent troops to support the Russian Federation. It was reported that the South Korean government and military are “considering a plan to send an appropriate number of personnel, including intelligence officers specializing in North Korea and experts on enemy tactics” to Ukraine.
On October 24, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Eun-hyung said that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un sent his army to fight against Ukraine as “cannon fodder”.
This week ((October 28 – November 3) a South Korean delegation will visit Ukraine to share information about the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia and to discuss cooperation between Seoul and Kyiv.
On October 28, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed the involvement of North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine and their redeployment to the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
The director of the MOU department stated that he has no data on North Korean soldiers in Donetsk region
According to the NYT, Ukrainian servicemen have already been warned that in the coming days they may face North Korean troops in the Kursk region.
On October 29, CNN, citing two Western intelligence sources, reported that a small group of North Korean troops was already in Ukraine. Officials expect that number to rise as North Korea’s military completes training in eastern Russia and moves toward the front lines.