NATO confirms North Korean troops deployed to help Russia in war against Ukraine

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed connected Monday that North Korean troops person been sent to thief Russia successful its warfare against Ukraine, representing nan "growing desperation" of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Rutte told reporters that expanding subject practice betwixt Russia and North Korea "is a threat" to Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security.

"Today, I tin corroborate that North Korean troops person been sent to Russia, and that North Korean subject units person been deployed to nan Kursk region," NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told reporters.

Russia is currently fighting backmost against a Ukrainian incursion into nan Kursk region.

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North Korean soldiers march successful a parade for nan 70th day of North Korea's founding time successful Pyongyang, North Korea, connected Sept. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

Rutte said nan summation of North Korean troops successful nan conflict represents "a important escalation" successful and marks "a vulnerable description " of "Russia’s forbidden war."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin grin during their gathering astatine nan Pyongyang Sunan International Airport extracurricular Pyongyang, North Korea, connected June 19, 2024.  (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

"Over 600,000 Russian soldiers person been killed aliases wounded in Putin’s war and he is incapable to prolong his battle connected Ukraine without overseas support," Rutte said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed nan unit activity Wednesday successful a statement, saying it would beryllium a "a very, very superior issue" if North Korean troops deploy to Ukraine. 

The Kremlin has dismissed reports of North Korea deploying troops arsenic "fake news," while a North Korean United Nations typical called nan reports "groundless rumors," Reuters reported. 

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Rutte said successful Brussels aft a high-level South Korean delegation, including apical intelligence and subject officials arsenic good arsenic elder diplomats, briefed nan alliance’s 32 nationalist ambassadors astatine NATO headquarters.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that North Korean troops person been sent to thief Russia successful its warfare against Ukraine. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Rutte said NATO is "actively consulting wrong nan alliance, pinch Ukraine, and pinch our Indo-Pacific partners," connected developments.

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"We proceed to show nan business closely," he said. He did not return questions aft nan statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.