North Korea is reportedly sending its citizens to support Ukraine“>Russia
in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy and his Western allies have raised concerns about suspected weapons shipments from North Korea to Russia in recent months. During a daily address on October 13th, Zelenskyy stated that the partnership between North Korea and Russia has evolved beyond weapons transfers, with direct involvement of North Korean individuals in the war effort.Zelenskyy expressed his observations, saying, “We see an increasing alliance between Russia and regimes like North Korea. This is no longer just about transferring weapons. It is actually about transferring people from North Korea to the occupying military forces.”
Last year, the White House National Security Council (NSC) identified approximately 1,000 containers of arms and ammunition being shipped from North Korea to Russia by sea and rail. By January of this year, the NSC reported that Russian forces had started using North Korean ballistic missiles on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied these allegations of arms transfers for the war effort in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed reports of North Koreans joining Russian forces as “fake news.” However, despite these denials, there has been increased cooperation between Russia and North Korea recently. In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a “strategic partnership” agreement with Kim Jong Un during a bilateral summit in Pyongyang.
International observers have also claimed that Iran is providing assistance to Russia’s war effort in Ukraine alongside North Korea.
In light of these alleged involvements by foreign citizens, Zelenskyy called for renewed support from Western allies. He emphasized that their relations need further development given these circumstances: “Obviously, in such circumstances our relations with partners need to develop further. The frontline needs more support,” said Zelenskyy on Sunday.
Zelenskyy has been requesting permission from Western backers such as the United States to use long-range weapons systems against targets inside Russia for months now. He believes that providing Ukraine with stronger capabilities will increase pressure on Russia beyond what it can handle.
Russia has previously warned against sending weapons to Ukraine and declared it would be seen as an act of war if Ukraine were allowed to strike deep into its territory.