Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged international allies on Tuesday, October 22, to “not hide” from evidence suggesting North Korean involvement in Russia’s war in Ukraine. In his nightly address, he reported that Ukraine has information indicating preparations for two North Korean units—potentially comprising up to 12,000 troops—to join Russian forces in the conflict.
“This presents a challenge, but we know how to respond,” Zelenskyy stated. “It is crucial for our partners to confront this challenge directly as well.”
Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, informed The War Zone that North Korean troops are expected to arrive in Russia’s southern Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces conducted an incursion in August. “We anticipate the arrival of the first units tomorrow in the Kursk direction,” Budanov told the outlet. “It is currently unclear how many troops will arrive or how they will be equipped; we will know more in a couple of days.”
Zelenskyy emphasized that neither North Korea nor Russia considers the human cost of the conflict. “The world must share the common goal of ending the war rather than prolonging it,” he stated. “We must put a stop to Russia and its allies.”
He warned that if North Korea can intervene in a European war, it indicates that global pressure on the regime is insufficient. British Defense Secretary John Healey noted the “highly likely” deployment of hundreds of North Korean troops to assist Russia in the prolonged conflict.
In response to this situation, a senior official from South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office indicated that Seoul might consider supplying weapons to Ukraine to counter military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.
A top U.S. diplomat remarked on Monday that Washington is consulting with allies regarding the implications of North Korean involvement, calling it a “dangerous and highly concerning development” if confirmed. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also commented on Monday that the deployment of North Korean troops would significantly escalate the conflict.
Credit: CNA
