NKorean troops join Russian assaults in significant numbers, Kyiv says
Ukraine’s Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday that North Korean troops have joined Russian forces in significant numbers to participate in assaults on Ukrainian positions. The development comes as Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine enters its fifth month, with both sides suffering heavy losses.
According to the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, the North Korean troops, who are believed to be mercenaries, have been deployed to several key battlefields, including the Kherson region and the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces. The ministry claimed that the North Koreans are being used to bolster Russian forces and to carry out “specific tasks” in support of the Russian military campaign.
The involvement of North Korean troops in the conflict is seen as a significant escalation of the war, as it marks the first time that North Korean military personnel have been directly involved in a conflict outside of the Korean Peninsula. The move is also seen as a major embarrassment for the international community, which has been critical of North Korea’s human rights record and its nuclear weapons program.
The Ukrainian Defence Ministry did not provide further details on the number of North Korean troops involved or their specific roles in the conflict. However, it did claim that the North Koreans are being used to target Ukrainian artillery positions and to provide support to Russian ground troops.
The involvement of North Korean troops in the conflict is likely to raise concerns about the potential for further escalation and the possibility of a wider conflict involving other countries. It also highlights the need for the international community to take a more active role in addressing the crisis in Ukraine and to work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
