Putin does not deny reports about North Korean soldiers sent to Russia
- 25 October, 09:32
Russian President Vladimir Putin has avoided answering a reporter’s question about the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers to his country.
Asked by a reporter on Tuesday about satellite imagery showing North Korean troop movements, Putin said: "Images are a serious thing. If there are images, then they reflect something."
Putin mentioned Article 4 of the Russian partnership deal with North Korea, which deals with mutual defence.
"There is article 4. We have never doubted in the least that the North Korean leadership takes our agreements seriously. But what we do within the framework of this article is our business," he said.
Furthermore, Putin reiterated his statement that NATO has escalated the war in Ukraine, with NATO officers being directly involved in the war. “We know who is present there, from which European Nato countries, and how they carry out this work,” Putin said.
Putin’s comments follow widespread reports about North Korean soldiers’ deployment in fareast Russian regions. The US said it had seen evidence that North Korea has sent 3,000 troops to Russia for possible deployment in Ukraine, a move that could mark a fundamental challenge to Ukraine due to its manpower shortages.
