NATO Chief Says North Korean Troops Sent to Russia’s Kursk Region

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Monday that North Korean troops were sent to Russia's embroiled Kursk region, decrying the deployment arsenic a motion of Russian President Vladimir Putin's "growing desperation."

Speaking successful Brussels aft a briefing with South Korean quality officials, Rutte said helium could corroborate that North Korean subject units had been sent to southwestern Russia's Kursk region.

"The deepening subject practice betwixt Russia and North Korea is simply a menace to some the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security," Rutte told a property conference. "The deployment [of] North Korean troops to Kursk is besides a motion of Putin's increasing desperation."

Ukrainian forces launched a astonishment incursion into the Kursk portion successful aboriginal August, initially taking power of a ample swath of territory that Russian troops person since gradually clawed backmost successful counteroffensive operations.

Rutte said much than 600,000 Russian soldiers person been killed oregon wounded since Moscow launched the full-scale penetration of Ukraine astir 3 years ago, adding the Kremlin was incapable to prolong its warfare without overseas support.

Growing subject ties betwixt Russia and North Korea are a large interest for the United States and the EU, arsenic Putin presses up with his efforts to physique an anti-Western alliance.

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was readying to nonstop North Korean troops into conflict wrong days. He has claimed North Korea is grooming 10,000 soldiers to enactment Russia.

"This is an escalation. Sanctions unsocial are not enough. We request weapons and a wide program to forestall North Korea's expanded engagement successful the warfare successful Europe," Zelensky's main of unit Andriy Yermak said connected societal media Monday, referring to confirmation of the deployment.

"Today, Russia brings successful North Korea; next, it could broaden their engagement, and past different autocratic regimes whitethorn spot that they tin get distant with this and travel to combat against NATO," Yermak added. "The force understands strength. Our allies person this strength."

Earlier this month, South Korea, NATO and the United States said thousands of North Korean troops were sent to Russia for subject training.

Rutte, a erstwhile Dutch premier curate who took implicit the reins of NATO conscionable weeks ago, called connected Moscow and Pyongyang to "cease these actions immediately."

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