Ukrainian servicemen of the 26th artillery brigade fire towards Russian positions near the front line in the Chasiv Yar area in the Donetsk region [File: Genya Savilov/AFP]
Published October 8, 2024
South Korean defence minister says ‘highly likely’ North Korean soldiers were killed in recent attack by Ukrainian forces.
North Korean soldiers appear to be fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, according to Seoul’s defence minister.
Kim Yong-hyun told South Korean politicians on Tuesday that it was “highly likely” that six North Korean officers were killed in a Ukrainian missile strike near Donetsk on October 3, as reported by Ukrainian media last week.
The suggestion comes amid strengthening ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. North Korea has rebuffed accusations that it is supplying arms to Russia’s forces for use in its invasion of Ukraine.
“We assess that the occurrence of casualties among North Korean officers and soldiers in Ukraine is highly likely, considering various circumstances,” Kim said, adding that Seoul expects Pyongyang to send more troops to support Russia’s war effort.
“The issue of deploying regular troops is highly likely due to the mutual agreements that resemble a military alliance between Russia and North Korea,” he noted.
Deepening ties
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June adopted a comprehensive strategic partnership that includes a mutual defence pact.
South Korea, backed up by the United States, claims that Pyongyang has become a major supplier to Russia of weapons being used in Ukraine. The two countries have denied the allegations.
Analysts have warned that a recent increase in production and testing of artillery and cruise missiles by North Korea could be in preparation for further shipments to Russia.
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SOURCE: www.aljazeera.com
RELATED: N. Korea likely to send troops to Ukraine in support of Russia: S. Korea’s defense chief
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, center, visits military artillery school in North Korea, in this photo provided by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency, Oct. 6 Yonhap
Published October 8, 2024
North Korea is likely to deploy members of its regular armed forces to Ukraine in support of Russia, South Korea’s defense chief said Tuesday, in the latest sign of deepening military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
The assessment came as North Korea has been seeking to bolster ties with Russia, highlighted by a bilateral agreement that includes a mutual defense clause, signed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at summit talks in June.
“As Russia and North Korea have signed a mutual treaty akin to a military alliance, the possibility of such a deployment is highly likely,” Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun told lawmakers during a parliamentary audit session.
Against this backdrop, Kim said a recent report on North Korean troop casualties in a Russian-occupied territory near the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk is also likely to be true.
Last week, the Kyiv Post reported that six North Korean officers were killed and three others were wounded in a Ukrainian missile strike on Oct. 3, citing intelligence sources.
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SOURCE: www.m.koreatimes.co.kr
