North Korea Confirms It Sent Troops To Russia To Fight Against Ukraine

For the first time, North Korea has confirmed the deployment of its troops to fight with Russia against Ukraine. In a statement provided to North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Monday, the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party said that North Korea's forces had contributed to taking back Russian territory held by Ukraine’s military in the Kursk region, reported Al Jazeera.

KCNA also mentioned that the decision to deploy soldiers was in accordance with a mutual defense treaty between North Korea and Russia. “They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland,” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said in the statement. Meanwhile, on Monday, Russia's President Vladimir Putin also expressed his personal gratitude to North Korea and Kim Jong Un.

Responding to the announcement, the US said North Korea must now bear responsibility for perpetuating the war. Initial reports of North Korean troop deployments to fight for Russia surfaced in October last year. According to South Korean officials, North Korea has sent 14,000 troops to Russia. The New York Times reported that North Korea has provided millions of artillery shells, as well as many ballistic missiles.