If the information about the participation of North Korean military personnel on Russia’s behalf in the war against Ukraine is confirmed, it would indicate a significant deepening of relations between Russia and North Korea, said White House National Security Advisor John Kirby. It will also mean “new levels of desperation on the part of Putin, who is trying to continue his attempts to make progress in Ukraine.” However, he added that the US has no confirmation of Russia’s involvement with North Korean military personnel.
At the same time, Western media and military experts consider President Zelenskyy’s statement that North Korea is sending military personnel to Russia to participate in the war as potentially accurate.
Ukrainian intelligence services say that the Russian Ministry of Defense has created a Buryat battalion that is staffed with North Korean military personnel. The formation has 3,000 soldiers and will be used in combat roles in the Kursk region.