NATO confirms deployment of N. Korean troops in Russia

NATO member states confirmed on Wednesday evidence that North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia.

That’s according to the Alliance spokeswoman Farah Dakhlallah, who issued a comment to DW.

"Allies have confirmed evidence of a DPRK troop deployment to Russia. If these troops are destined to fight in Ukraine, it would mark a significant escalation in North Korea's support for Russia's illegal war and yet another sign of Russia's significant losses on the front lines," Dakhlallah said.

Read also: Pentagon chief confirms North Korean troops inside Russia

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on Wednesday, October 23, the chief of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, officially confirmed for the first time that the North Korean military had arrived in the Russian Federation. At the same time, he noted that at the moment, the purpose of their deployment remains unclear.

Earlier on October 18, the National Intelligence Service of South Korea announced that the North Korean regime decided to send 12,000 soldiers to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Read also: In exchange for manpower N. Korea receives from Russia nuclear tech – Ukraine’s defense intel

According to intelligence data, Pyongyang began transporting its special forces to Russia on October 8. During the first phase, about 1,500 North Korean soldiers arrived on four landing ships, accompanied by three Russian vessels. North Korean troops are stationed in Vladivostok, Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk, and Blagoveshchensk, according to the report.

Photo: KCNA