Putin turns to North Korea as Russian losses hit 600,000
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg informed on Monday that around 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. According to him, the massive scale of human losses forces Vladimir Putin to seek foreign support in the form of North Korean soldiers.
Over 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured in Putin's war, and he cannot continue his attack on Ukraine without foreign support, said Jens Stoltenberg, quoted by "Daily Mail".
After a meeting with a South Korean delegation, the NATO Secretary General emphasized that the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea threatens the security of the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions. Stoltenberg added that North Korean soldiers have arrived in the Kursk region.
Stoltenberg stressed that the presence of North Korean soldiers in Russia is a "significant escalation" and a violation of UN Security Council resolutions. In his view, it represents a "dangerous expansion" of the war and a sign of "growing desperation" by Vladimir Putin.
Although the Kremlin described the reports of the presence of North Korean troops as "fake news," Putin did not deny this information, merely stating that it is Moscow's internal matter and how it fulfills agreements with Pyongyang. A North Korean representative to the UN described these reports as "baseless rumors."
The Ukrainian perspective on sanctions for North Korea
The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, emphasized that sanctions are not a sufficient response to Pyongyang's involvement. "North Korean soldiers are already in the Kursk region... This is an escalation. Sanctions are not enough. We need weapons and a clear plan, to prevent the expansion of North Korea's involvement in the war in Europe," wrote Yermak on platform X.
The Ukrainian politician added that Western allies should respond decisively because "the enemy only understands strength."
As reported by the "Daily Mail," Ukrainian intelligence also released recordings where Russian soldiers complain about the arrival of North Korean troops and issues related to their equipment and integration with Russian units.
