The White House spokesperson expressed “concern” over reports of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia in Ukraine on Tuesday, October 15th.
According to Reuters, Sean Savett, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, stated that if North Korean troops were indeed involved in the conflict in Ukraine, it would signify a significant enhancement in North Korea’s defense relationship with Russia.
Savett stated in a released statement, “This also indicates that Russia continues to suffer significant casualties on the battlefield in the brutal war in Ukraine, reaching new levels of desperation.”
Ukrainian President Zelensky recently accused North Korea of deploying personnel to Russian armed forces, claiming that his intelligence agencies had informed him of North Korea’s “actual involvement” in the conflict in Ukraine. He warned that the alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang is increasingly strengthening and surpassing mere weapon transfers.
The Washington Post cited an anonymous Ukrainian military intelligence official stating that thousands of North Korean infantry are currently undergoing training in Russia and may be deployed to the frontlines in Ukraine by the end of this year.
The Kremlin dismissed these accusations as “fake news.”
General Charles Flynn, the Army Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, stated at an event in Washington that North Korean involvement in the conflict would allow Pyongyang to gain real-time feedback on the performance of their weapons, which was previously impossible.
He stated at the Center for a New American Security, “This is different because they (North Korea) are providing assistance, and reports suggest that personnel have been deployed there.”
“North Korea can gain this kind of feedback from a real battlefield, allowing them to adjust weapons, ammunition, capabilities, and even personnel—this, in my view, is very worrisome.”
In September last year, South Korean President Moon Jae-in mentioned at the United Nations General Assembly that North Korea might be supplying weapons to Russia in exchange for military technology.
In October last year, the U.S. White House claimed that satellite images showed North Korea had provided over a thousand containers of ammunition and military equipment to Russia. Washington condemned North Korea for violating UN sanctions by shipping weapons to Russia.
Both Moscow and Pyongyang denied the allegations of arms transfer but pledged to deepen their military relationship.
In June this year, during a visit to Pyongyang, Russian President Putin signed a treaty with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that included a mutual defense clause. According to the terms of the treaty, both parties agreed to assist each other in repelling external aggression.