"New levels of Putin's desperation": White House on North Korean military in Ukraine

If the information about North Korean troops fighting on Russia's side in the war against Ukraine is confirmed, it will mean a significant deepening of relations between Russia and North Korea.

Source: State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller; White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby speaking to journalists; Voice of America 

Details: At the same time, Miller noted that the White House has no independent confirmation of reports on Russia's engagement of the North Korean military.

Quote: "We are concerned by reports of DPRK soldiers fighting on behalf of Russia. If that's true, it would mark a significant increase in the relationship between those two countries, the relationship that you have seen develop over the past several months. It would also indicate a new level of desperation by Russia as it continues to suffer significant casualties on the battlefield."

Details: In addition to deepening relations between Russia and the DPRK, the confirmation of North Korean soldiers fighting on Russia's side "can only be classified as a new level of desperation by Putin as he continues to try to make progress in Ukraine", said White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby.

He emphasised that although the information about North Korean soldiers has not been confirmed, it is important to put it in context. If true, it comes at a time when Russia continues to suffer extraordinary losses in a conflict that has gone so far.

Background:

• On 14 October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused North Korea of transferring personnel to Russia, citing intelligence about North Korea's "actual involvement in the war" in Ukraine.
• North Korea is known to supply Russia with ballistic missiles and ammunition, although both countries have tried to claim that this is not true.
• The Times recently reported that half of the approximately three million artillery shells per year used by Russia come from North Korea.

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