The denial of the CNN report earlier this month, citing Ukraine’s intelligence agency and Western security sources, told North Korean leader Kim Jong-sen to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that he could “unconditionally support” Moscow’s every effort to resolve the conflict in Ukraine reported by the official South Korean Central Press in the North (KCNA).
According to KCNA, Lavrov, who ended his trip to North Korea on the same day, announced Moscow’s intention to “further strengthen strategic and tactical cooperation” between “in the international sector” and “in the international sector.”
Pyongyang has provided troops and weapons for the Russian war in Ukraine and pledged continued military support as Moscow seeks to solidify the benefits it has gained in recent months.
However, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense’s major intelligence news agency chief said in a statement sent via email over the weekend that “there is no information regarding plans to increase the conditions for the South Korean People’s Army to 30,000 on the territory of the Russian Federation in the coming months.”
“The transfer of these units will be carried out in July and August this year in two or three stages in batches of 1,500-3,000 staff,” the agency revealed for the first time details of the deployment. It is also planned to deploy 50-100 units of North Korean equipment in Russia, including the M2010 or Cheonma-D, the main battle tank and the armored personnel carrier of the BTR-80.
rhm/