Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 11,000 North Korean troops are in Russia’s Kursk area bordering Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has met North Korean Overseas Minister Choe Son Hui on the Kremlin, as Ukraine warned North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk area may very well be despatched into fight.
In a video launched by the Kremlin of Putin greeting Choe on Monday, the Russian chief informed the official that she had visited on Russia’s Nationwide Unity Day, a public vacation.
Choe expressed “honest, heat, comradely greetings” from North Korean chief Kim Jong Un.
US State Division spokesman Matthew Miller informed reporters on Monday that as many as 10,000 North Korean troopers have been in Russia’s Kursk area and making ready to affix Moscow’s combat in opposition to Ukraine within the coming days.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that in response to Ukrainian intelligence, 11,000 North Korean troops had reached the Kursk area, the place Ukrainian troops began a sudden incursion in August.
“We see a rise in North Koreans and no improve within the response of our companions,” Zelenskyy stated.
Putin has neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Korean troops within the nation. He briefly alluded to the navy state of affairs in Kursk when he met youth volunteers on Monday and stated, “When the enemy is cleaned out from the area, there shall be a lot of work so that you can do.”
In Kyiv, Ukrainian Overseas Minister Andrii Sybiha stated he had mentioned along with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock the “want for decisive motion” in response to North Korean involvement within the warfare in Ukraine.
“We name on Europe to understand that North Korean troops at the moment are waging an aggressive warfare in Europe in opposition to a sovereign European state. This proves as soon as once more that whereas the West is afraid and hesitates, Russia is performing and going for escalation,” Sybiha stated.
Baerbock expressed “rock-solid” help for Ukraine. “Proper right here, proper now. We stand firmly by your aspect so long as you want us,” she stated.
Baerbock additionally introduced that Germany would give Ukraine 200 million euros ($218 million) in emergency help for its third winter at warfare.
On the United Nations Safety Council, the USA accused Russia and China of “shamelessly defending” and emboldening North Korea to additional violate UN sanctions.
In Seoul, South Korea and the European Union collectively condemned North Korea’s “illegal arms transfers to the Russian Federation for its use in attacking Ukraine” and demanded that it withdraw its troops.
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North Korea’s Choe has been in Russia for nearly every week, having arrived within the far japanese port of Vladivostok final Tuesday on her second journey to the nation in six weeks.
Final Friday, Choe informed Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov that their nations loved relations of “invincible navy comradeship” and that North Korea would stand alongside Russia “till the day of victory” in Ukraine.
The Kremlin had stated final week that there have been no plans for Putin to satisfy Choe.
The US and South Korea say North Korea has shipped ballistic missiles, anti-tank rockets and tens of millions of rounds of ammunition for Russia to make use of in opposition to Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang have denied weapons transfers.