Russia is preparing to deploy 10,000 North Korean soldiers in the fight versus Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated Thursday, mentioning intelligence information.Zelensky has actually formerly implicated North Korea of sending soldiers to Russias army but this was the first time he provided a precise figure.An unspecified number of North Korean soldiers were already on occupied Ukrainian area from the side of Russian opponents, Zelensky said, based on details from our intelligence.
We understand [of] about 10,000 soldiers of North Korea that they are preparing to send out fight versus us, he included, speaking with reporters in Brussels after talks with EU leaders.The Ukrainian leader was attending both an EU leaders summit and a conference of NATO defense ministers in Brussels as he presses for support for his victory plan to end the war against Russia.Zelensky stated the North Korean troops included land forces and other tactical personnel.
This is the first step to a world war, he warned, keeping in mind that Iran was likewise backing Russia with drones and missiles, a claim that Tehran has repeatedly denied.He said Russian President Vladimir Putin was counting on the North Korean soldiers because he was scared of mobilization.
Zelensky carried out a whirlwind tour of Western capitals previously this month including Washington, Paris, Berlin, Rome and London to promote his initiative.Experts have long stated North Korean missiles are being deployed in Ukraine by Russian forces, which both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied.Putin made an uncommon check out to Pyongyang in June, where he signed a shared defense arrangement with leader Kim Jong Un.Moscow and Pyongyang have actually been allies considering that North Koreas starting after World War II and have drawn more detailed given that Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine.