XPost: sci.military.naval, soc.history.war.misc, or.politics
XPost: seattle.politics

from https://www.newsweek.com/north-korea-troops-russia-ukraine-south-korea-boris-pistorius-germany-john-healey-1973540

Global Conflict 'Approaching Very Rapidly,' NATO Ally Warns
Published Oct 23, 2024 at 10:32 AM EDT

00:55
U.K Rings Alarm Bells Over North Korean Troops in Russia
By Ellie Cook
Security & Defense Reporter
FOLLOW
70
Reports of North Korean troops in Russia, possibly for deployment
against Ukraine, bring a "new quality" to the grinding war and indicate
that conflicts involving countries across the world "are now
approaching," Germany's defense minister said, as the U.S. confirmed Pyongyang's troops on Russian soil.

Speaking in London during a joint press conference with the British
defense minister, John Healey, on Wednesday, Boris Pistorius said the
presence of North Korean troops in Russia showed a "very important
aspect" and a "new quality" to the war, more than two and a half years
into the conflict. "International conflicts are now approaching very
rapidly," he added.

South Korean and Ukrainian officials said approximately 10,000 North
Korean troops were being sent to Russia, including an initial batch of
around 1,500 fighters. South Korea's spy agency said on Wednesday that
an estimated 3,000 personnel had arrived at Russian bases, with the
remaining 7,000 to be deployed by the end of the year, according to
South Korean media.

Since launching its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has
become a pariah state for many nations in the West and around the world, drawing it closer to allies like China, Iran and North Korea.

Boris Pistorius
Germany's defense minister, Boris Pistorius, at Trinity House in London
on October 23, 2024. He said reports that North Korean troops had
arrived in Russia showed a "new quality" to the war. JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP
via Getty Images
So far, no formal military forces from a country outside the conflict
has committed troops to the front lines, a move that would be a
significant shift in the war and deeply worrying for Kyiv and its
allies. Heading into the harsh winter season, Russia and Ukraine are
looking for solutions to manpower shortages in the face of months of
grueling fighting.

Pyongyang, which signed a mutual defense pact with Moscow earlier this
year, has provided significant munitions and missiles for Russia's war
effort. Kyrylo Budanov, the chief of Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency, said last month that North Korea was the most dangerous of
Russia's allies for Ukraine.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday that there was
"evidence" of North Korean troops in Russia, but it remained "to be
seen" what activities they would take up. A North Korean representative
to the United Nations called the reports "groundless."

Unveiling a new joint agreement between London and Berlin, in part
designed to shore up the European defenses against Russia, Healey and
Pistorius said they had serious concerns over the reports of North
Korean troops being deployed in Russia, but stopped short of confirming
the information coming from South Korea and Ukraine in recent weeks.

It's highly likely North Korean troops have been deployed in Russia, but
it is not yet clear that they have been used in frontline fighting,
Healey said. "I see this as a sign of desperation as well as a shocking escalation on North Korea's front," Healey said.

Both ministers said they were concerned about the development, with
Healey adding that they jointly "totally condemn this as a potential escalation."

Healey and Pistorius
Britain's defense secretary, John Healey (left), and Boris Pistorius at
Trinity House in London on October 23, 2024. It is highly likely North
Korean troops have been deployed in Russia, Healey said. JUSTIN
TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images
Seoul's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said last week that North
Korea had sent around 1,500 special forces soldiers to the Russian port
city of Vladivostok between October 8-13.

Read more Russia-Ukraine War

North Korean Defectors Ready To Join Ukraine's Fight Against Putin
North Korea Deploying 12,000 Troops to Fight Ukraine: Zelensky
North Korean Troops Deployed to Kursk in Escalating Counteroffensive: US
Russia Suffers Third-Greatest Single Day Loss of Troops in Ukraine: Kyiv
The spy agency said the North Korean soldiers, sent to a number of bases
in Russia's far east, had been equipped with Russian military uniforms, Russian-made weapons and fake documents claiming the fighters were
residents of regions in Siberia.

"It appears that they disguised themselves as Russian soldiers to hide
the fact that they were deployed to the battlefield," the NIS said. The soldiers are "expected to be deployed to the front lines as soon as they complete their adaptation training," the agency added.

Footage published online by Russian and Ukrainian sources in recent days appears to show North Korean soldiers at a Russian training ground in
the far-eastern Primorsky region, which borders North Korean territory.

South Korea's foreign ministry said on Monday that it had summoned
Moscow's ambassador to Seoul to demand an "immediate" withdrawal of
North Korean fighters.

South Korea "condemned in the strongest terms the illegal military
cooperation, including the North's troop deployment, and sternly warned
that South Korea will respond with every possible means, with the
international community, to any acts that threaten the core interests of
South Korea," Seoul's foreign ministry said.

In an apparent change of a long-standing policy, South Korea said on
Tuesday that it would take "phased measures" against Pyongyang and
Moscow, with a senior presidential official saying this could include "offensive" weapons for Ukraine.

This would mark a significant change in policy for Seoul, and it comes
as Kyiv is trying to keep its artillery systems firing and air defense
systems stocked with interceptor missiles.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied the reports of North Korean
troops arriving in Russia as "fake news" earlier this month. In fresh
comments on Monday, Peskov said the reports were "contradictory," but
did not explicitly deny the allegations.

"North Korea is our close neighbor, our partner, and we are developing
our relations in all areas. This is our sovereign right," Peskov said in remarks reported by Russian state media. "This should not worry anyone,
because this cooperation is not directed against third countries."

A North Korean official told the United Nations on Tuesday that they did
"not feel any need for comment on such groundless, stereotype rumors
aimed at smearing the image of the DPRK and undermining the legitimate, friendly, and cooperative relations between sovereign states." DPRK
references North Korea's official title, the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea.

A Ukrainian government-backed hotline, designed for Russian soldiers
wishing to surrender as prisoners of war, published an appeal on
Wednesday for North Korean soldiers to "not die senselessly on foreign
soil."

Request Reprint & Licensing Submit Correction View Editorial & AI Guidelines Related Podcasts

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)