The comments came days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused North Korea of sending troops to Russia. In his daily video message last weekend, he said, "We see an increasing alliance between Russia and regimes like North Korea. It is no longer just about transferring weapons. It is actually about transferring people from North Korea to the occupying military forces."
During his parliamentary speech on Wednesday, Zelenskyy reiterated, "In the coalition of criminals alongside Putin, North Korea is already involved, specifically the Kim family, which enslaves over 20 million people in North Korea."
Earlier last week, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun here said during a parliamentary hearing that there is a "high possibility" North Korea could dispatch military forces to assist Russia in the war with Ukraine.
The latest developments suggest a deepening military alliance between the two isolated countries.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told state-run TASS on Tuesday that Russia will provide military assistance to North Korea if it comes under attack, citing a treaty signed between Pyongyang and Moscow in June. "If an act of aggression is committed against [North Korea], all necessary measures will be taken," he said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. expressed its concerns over the Ukrainian claims while the Kremlin dismissed them as "fake news." White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said that the reports, if true, "would mark a significant increase" in their defense relationship. "Such a move would also indicate a new level of desperation for Russia as it continues to suffer significant casualties on the battlefield in its brutal war against Ukraine," he added.
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