Russian President Vladimir Putin offered an evasive response to questions about North Korean troops in Russia during a press conference at the BRICS summit in Kazan, marking his first public comments on the matter.
When pressed by an NBC journalist about satellite imagery showing North Korean military presence in Russia, Putin provided a cryptic response: “Images are a serious thing. If there are images, then they reflect something.” He followed this by referencing the recently ratified “comprehensive strategic partnership” agreement with North Korea, signed in Pyongyang this summer, which includes provisions for “mutual assistance in case of aggression.”
The comments come as Ukraine’s military intelligence reported that the first North Korean units have already arrived in Russia’s Kursk region on October 23, after completing training at military facilities in eastern Russia. This follows South Korean intelligence reports that North Korea has deployed 3,000 troops to Russia, with sources indicating that Pyongyang is taking measures to isolate the families of selected soldiers to prevent information leaks. White House has confirmed this information from its own intelligence sources after a while.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously warned that Russia plans to deploy approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers, while Ukraine’s Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov confirmed that about 11,000 North Korean infantry are currently training in eastern Russia and are expected to be combat-ready by 1 November.
Putin’s ambiguous response and reference to the strategic partnership agreement, rather than an outright denial, comes as multiple intelligence sources confirm North Korea’s growing military involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine. “We’ll see how this process develops,” Putin concluded, leaving open speculations about possible further increase of North Korea’s military presence.
Related:
- White House confirms North Korea sent 3,000 troops to Russia for military training
- WSJ: Russia provided satellite data to Houthis for commercial vessel attacks
- Kyodo: 2,000 North Korean soldiers move to Russia’s Kursk Oblast near Ukraine, Ukrainian military source says
- North Korea isolates families of soldiers sent to Russia, conceals deployment domestically