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North Korea may deploy additional troops to Russia to fight in the war against Ukraine. These troops are likely to be sent in either July or August and Pyongyang is continuing to supply arms to Russia, South Korean lawmakers have said, citing a briefing by the intelligence agency.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) believes Russia may be readying to mount a large-scale assault against Ukraine in July or August, South Korean member of parliament Lee Seong-kweun told reporters after the closed-door briefing.
“The timing of the additional deployment is that it could be as early as July or August,” Lee said, adding the agency cited a new round-up of troops for the dispatch by North Korea and a recent visit to Pyongyang by a top Russian presidential security official as grounds for its assessment.
In return for North Korea sending artillery ammunition and missiles to Russia, Pyongyang is likely receiving technical advice on satellite launches and missile guidance systems, Lee said, citing the NIS briefing.
After months of silence, both North Korea and Russia have disclosed the deployment of North Korean troops and the role they play in Moscow’s offensive against Ukraine to reclaim the Kursk region.
The two countries said the cooperation is based on the treaty signed by their leaders in June last year that includes a mutual defense pact.
More than 6,000 North Korean soldiers are believed to have been killed or wounded while fighting in Russia’s Kursk region in support of Moscow’s war against Ukraine, according to British intelligence estimates.
The UK Ministry of Defence said in a social media post on Sunday that the casualties represent more than half of the approximately 11,000 North Korean troops initially deployed to the area. The figures highlight North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s deepening military alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the war enters its fourth year.
Team Bharatshakti
(With inputs from Reuters)
