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Kim Jong Un is pledging to “unconditionally assist” no matter Russia does to battle Ukraine.
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That comes after a report from early July that he needs to ship 30,000 troops to Ukraine.
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North Korea, in the meantime, is estimated by Seoul to have provided 12 million artillery rounds to Russia.
North Korean chief Kim Jong Un mentioned on Sunday that he was all in on Russia’s warfare in opposition to Ukraine.
Pyongyang’s overseas ministry wrote that Kim had met with Russia’s overseas minister, Sergey Lavrov, throughout which the 2 leaders pledged to “strengthen strategic and tactical cooperation” between their nations.
Kim mentioned he was “prepared to unconditionally assist all measures taken by the Russian management in relation to the elemental decision of the Ukrainian state of affairs,” the report mentioned.
It comes as CNN reported on July 2, citing a Ukrainian intelligence evaluation and an unnamed Western official, that mentioned there was info indicating that North Korea was planning to ship 25,000 to 30,000 troops to Russia.
Such a brand new tranche of fighters would greater than triple North Korea’s infantry presence within the warfare, up from its preliminary batch of about 11,000 troopers who fought for Russia in Kursk. Western estimates say 6,000 of these North Korean troops had been killed or wounded.
The Japan Occasions, nevertheless, reported on Sunday that Ukraine’s intelligence directorate (GUR) mentioned it had “no info” about Pyongyang’s plans to extend its troop depend in Russia to 30,000.
GUR’s press group didn’t reply to a request for remark despatched exterior common enterprise hours by Enterprise Insider.
A extra possible enlargement is the 6,000 further personnel Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of Russia’s safety council, mentioned North Korea had pledged to Kursk.
In June, Shoigu mentioned at the very least 1,000 of those individuals could be sappers, whereas one other 5,000 would assist with development.
In the meantime, prime Russian officers have been touring ceaselessly to satisfy with Kim. In accordance with Russian media, Shoigu visited Kim at the very least 3 times in three months in early summer season.
The partnership between the 2 more and more remoted nations has anxious each South Korea and the West. Seoul’s intelligence arm mentioned on Sunday that it believed Pyongyang had already provided Russia with some 12 million 152mm artillery shells, which may fill roughly 28,000 transport containers.
By comparability, the US mentioned in March that it has despatched Ukraine roughly 3 million 155mm shells because the begin of the warfare in 2022.
In return for his troops, ammunition, and weapons, Kim’s authorities has been reported to be receiving meals, money, battlefield expertise, and technological help for its area and arms applications.
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