As the Russia-Ukraine war escalates, North Korea has vowed to back Russia in its fight. During her visit to Moscow, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui vowed great support for Russia, adding that Moscow "will achieve a great victory in their sacred struggle to protect the sovereign rights and security interests."
The foreign minister's visit to Russia comes amid various reports of North Korean troops being deployed to the frontlines in the Ukraine war.
While Russia and Pyongyang have denied the reports, intelligence from the US, Ukraine and NATO have confirmed the presence of around 10,000 North Korean troops in Russia.
Following Son Hui's visit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hailed the "very close contacts" between Russian and North Korean militaries and expressed gratitude "to our Korean friends for their principled position regarding the events that have now unfolded in Ukraine."
Zelesnkyy Calls For Action
Following the alleged deployment of North Korean troops closely, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Kyiv's allies to "stop watching" and take steps before Pyongyang's military takes its position on the front lines.
"America is watching, Britain is watching, Germany is watching. Everyone is just waiting for the North Korean military to start attacking Ukrainians as well," said Zelenskyy on Telegram.
In his call to Western allies, the Ukrainian president also called for permission to use long-range missiles to hit targets deep in Russia.
As per the United States, around 8,000 North Korean troops are now in the Kursk region near Ukraine's border.
