ROME (Pakistan News Online) US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revealed that there is credible evidence of the deployment of North Korean military personnel stationed in Russia, but their intended role remains unclear.
According to Reuters, the US defense secretary expressed serious concern over the possibility that these forces might join Russia in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, a scenario Ukrainian authorities have raised alarms about.
“There is evidence that there are DPRK troops (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) in Russia,” Austin said during a press briefing in Rome, he added, “We need to determine exactly what their purpose is, but it remains a situation to monitor closely,”.
US Defence secretary stressed, it would be “very, very serious” if these North Korean military personnel are intended to support Russian forces in Ukraine, as suggested by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
According to Volodymyr Zelenskiy, intelligence reports indicate that two North Korean military’s 12000 soldiers could be preparing to support Russian Troops in conflict.
Austin said, We will continue to track these developments and see where they lead, He emphasized the need to assess whether North Korea’s involvement constitutes co-belligerency. “If their intention is to actively fight in this war on behalf of Russia, it represents a very significant escalation.”
Kremlin response
The Kremlin has denied these allegations, dismissing the idea that North Korea has deployed troops to assist Russia. However, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have deepened over the past year. Their leaders have met several times since their summit in Russia’s Far East.
Russia is reportedly facing manpower shortages in its military, which has suffered more than 600,000 casualties in the 2.5-year conflict, according to U.S. officials. Austin noted that the potential deployment of North Korean troops could signal the extent of Russia’s challenges. “This suggests that Putin may be facing more trouble than many realize,” he said.
Austin added, “Initially, Russia sought arms and equipment from North Korea and Iran. Now, they appear to be seeking additional personnel.”
Reports from South Korean Intelligence
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) recently revealed that North Korea has already sent 1,500 special forces personnel to Russia’s Far East for training at local military bases. The NIS indicated that these troops are expected to join the battlefield in Ukraine.
According to South Korean intelligence, the deployment was confirmed using facial recognition technology to identify North Korean officers in Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
The South Korean intelligence further revealed that North Korea has supplied Russia with military equipment, including artillery rounds, ballistic missiles, and anti-tank rockets.
Russia and North Korea Deny Arms Transfers
Moscow and Pyongyang have denied engaging in arms shipments or troop deployments. However, Austin cautioned that these developments, if verified, reflect the growing collaboration between Russia and North Korea.