Washington is "concerned" by recent reports that Pyongyang had sent its soldiers to join Russian occupying forces in Ukraine, White House National Council spokesperson Sean Savett said on Oct. 15.
"Such a move would also indicate a new level of desperation for Russia as it continues to suffer significant casualties on the battlefield in its brutal war against Ukraine," Savett said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently accused North Korea of sending personnel to support Russia and said that Moscow plans to "actually involve" Pyongyang in the war in the coming months.
While the Kremlin has denied the reports, there is mounting evidence that the Russian-North-Korean cooperation has reached a new level. A Western diplomat familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent on Oct. 15 Pyongyang has sent 10,000 soldiers to Russia, but it is unclear what kind of soldiers they are.
The two countries have deepened military ties during the full-scale war, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signing a strategic partnership agreement in June.
North Korea has previously supplied Russian forces with artillery shells and ballistic missiles, both extensively deployed against Ukrainian troops and cities.
Savett commented that the transfer of soldiers would mark a significant shift in the Russian-North-Korean defense ties.
Asami Terajima
(Updated: )
