In an interview with Russian state media, Vladimir Putin said that any possible deployment of North Korean soldiers to help Russia‘s war on Ukraine would be a’sovereign choice’ by Moscow and Pyongyang.
Putin, in a conversation with Russian propagandist Olga Skabeyeva said that “once a decision is necessary, we will make it.”
When foreign journalists questioned Putin about this matter at the BRICS Summit on October 24, he replied that the Russia-North Korea Defense Treaty allows for such a move.
When asked about satellite images allegedly provided by South Korean Intelligence, which showed North Korean soldiers headed to Russia, Putin responded, “Images are serious; if there is an image, it reflects something.”
The comments were seen by many as the first indirect admission from Russia regarding the deployment of North Korean forces, which had already been confirmed by Ukraine. South Korea, United States, and others.
Pyongyang dismissed the reports as “baseless rumors”.
Putin, despite downplaying his remarks at the BRICS Summit, reiterated in an interview with Skabeyeva the fact that Article 4 of this treaty allows the deployment of troops.
“What we’ll do with this article is still a mystery,” said the Russian president.
“But I would like to say that it is our sovereign choice. We can use it or we can’t, we can train, we could transfer experience, we could do exercises or we might not. It’s not our business.”
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) reported that North Korea had sent 12,000 troops, including 500 officers, to Russia. According to Kyiv, the first Noth Korean soldiers will be deployed to a battle zone on October 27-28.
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