Such a big punishment for going to Russia, angry Zelensky canceled the visit of UN Secretary General to Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on Friday that Russia would deploy North Korean troops to the battlefield in Ukraine this weekend. Western countries have warned that such developments would further fuel the war that has been going on for nearly three years and would have geopolitical consequences as far as the Indo-Pacific region. This possibility has worried leaders and diplomatic tensions over the war have deepened. A senior official of the Ukrainian President’s Office said on Friday that Zelensky has canceled the scheduled visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Kiev.
Guterres had gone to Russia to attend the BRICS conference
The official said on condition of anonymity that the visit was to take place after the BRICS summit held in the Russian city of Kazan this week. Guterres also attended this conference. There was anger in Ukraine when a picture of Guterres shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the summit surfaced.
Zelensky made a claim about North Korean soldiers
Zelensky said in a post on Telegram that Ukrainian intelligence agencies have discovered that the first contingent of North Korean troops will be used by Russia in combat areas between Sunday and Monday. He said the deployment was “a clear step taken by Russia.” Zelensky did not provide any details about where the North Korean troops could be sent.
Ukrainian soldiers seen in Kursk
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Intelligence Directorate said North Korean troops appeared in the Kursk region on Wednesday. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, known as the GUR, said in a statement late Thursday that the soldiers have trained for several weeks at bases in eastern Russia and are equipped with clothing for the upcoming winter.
How many North Korean soldiers reached Russia
It is estimated that the number of North Korean soldiers sent by Pyongyang to Russia is around 12,000, including about 500 officers and three generals. The GUR did not provide any evidence to support its claims. In Ukraine, Russia is conducting a fierce campaign on the eastern front, gradually forcing Kiev to leave the field. But Russia is struggling to expel Ukrainian forces from its Kursk border region after the incursion nearly three months ago.
Ukraine in tension due to Russia-North Korea deal
The deployment of North Korean forces under a military agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang will bring a new dimension to the conflict, which is Europe’s largest war since World War II and has killed thousands of people on both sides. The US described the move as very serious and said on Wednesday that 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed in Russia and are training at several places. On the other hand, Russian President Putin has neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Korean soldiers in his country.
