The Russian Federation may be conducting information operations to accuse Ukraine of being the “aggressor” in the Russian invasion of Ukraine in order to justify the use of North Korean troops as combatants in its war. This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), according to UNN.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia will soon deploy North Korean troops in unspecified combat zones on October 27 and 28, as Russian and North Korean officials continue to make vague but ambiguous statements about the possible presence of North Korean troops in Russia.
It is noted that North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong-gyu did not deny reports of the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia, but said that such a deployment would comply with the principles of international law
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin once again failed to deny the presence of North Korean troops on Russian territory in an interview with the Russian state television channel Rossiya 1 on October 25, after the BRICS summit in Kazan, and stated that it was Russia's sovereign decision to activate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between Russia and North Korea, signed on June 18, 2024.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also reportedly stated that the provision of military assistance under the treaty is a signal of deterrence and that military assistance will allegedly be activated only in the event of “aggression” against any of the parties to the treaty.
It is noted that the participation of North Korean troops in hostilities in the Kursk region or frontline areas in Ukraine would make North Korea an active combatant and belligerent in the war of the Russian Federation in Ukraine.
In these statements, ISW analysts see Russia preparing the ground to justify the involvement of the DPRK military in the war.
The Kremlin may be conducting information operations to accuse Ukraine of being the aggressor in Russia's invasion of Ukraine in order to justify the use of North Korean troops as combatants in its war
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According to Ukrainian intelligence, there are 12,000 DPRK servicemen in Russia, some of whom, having been trained at eastern training grounds, have already headed to the Kursk region.
NATO member states confirmed on Wednesday evidence that North Korea has sent troops to Russia.