Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been outspoken in condemning the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia, mentioned specific troop numbers for the first time.
This number aligns with the intelligence analysis conducted by South Korea regarding the scale of the deployment.
According to reports from local Ukrainian media, including UNN, on Tuesday, Zelenskyy stated regarding the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia: “We have information that two units of military personnel from North Korea are being trained — potentially even two brigades of 6,000 people each.”
This number mirrors estimates from South Korea’s’ National Intelligence Service (NIS), which previously assessed that approximately 12,000 North Korean soldiers, divided into four brigades, had been sent to assist Russia.
Previously, Zelenskyy had cited the deployment scale of around 10,000 troops. However, on this day, he clarified the specific numbers and details regarding North Korean troops’ organization and military training.
By disclosing these facts and the scale of the North Korean troop deployment, he also pleaded for more active support from the West. He stated, “It’s clear that in Pyongyang, just like in Moscow, they do not count people and do not value human lives,” and expressed his gratitude to the nations and leaders who have condemned North Korea’s involvement in the war.
While Ukraine has officially acknowledged the deployment of North Korean troops, the Western countries supporting Ukraine are currently taking a cautious stance. Even the United States, which possesses the most intelligence resources, maintains a careful approach, stating that if the reports of North Korean troop deployment are true, it is “highly concerned.”
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