What does Russia say about the news that North Korean soldiers will fight in Ukraine?

North Korean soldiers during a parade in Pyongyang

Reuters reported on October 21 that the Kremlin refused to answer questions about whether North Korean soldiers would participate in Russia's campaign in Ukraine, but said Moscow had the right to develop relations with Pyongyang in all areas.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the question about North Korean soldiers should be addressed to the Russian Defense Ministry. However, he said cooperation with North Korea was not directed against any third country.

He reiterated that South Korea had said something about North Korean soldiers, but the Pentagon had publicly said it could not confirm this information.

Also on October 21, TASS news agency quoted Russian Ambassador to South Korea Georgy Zinoviev as saying at a meeting at the South Korean Foreign Ministry that cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang is not aimed against Seoul.

"Mr. Zinoviev stressed that cooperation between Russia and North Korea is carried out within the framework of international law and is not aimed at countering the security interests of South Korea," according to a statement from the Russian Embassy in South Korea.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry summoned Ambassador Zinoviev to protest what it called the North Korean military's move to Russia for deployment in Ukraine and pledged a joint international response, Reuters reported.

South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun summoned Zinoviev and called on the North Korean military to immediately withdraw from Russia, according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry.

North Korea has not commented on the accusations and related information.

On the same day, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte wrote on X that if North Korea sent troops to Ukraine to join Russia's campaign, it would be a significant escalation in the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week alleged that North Korea was preparing to send 10,000 troops to support Russia's campaign and that some North Korean officers had already been deployed on Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory.

In response to the developments, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Beijing hoped all parties would work to de-escalate the situation, according to Reuters.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nga-noi-gi-truoc-thong-tin-binh-si-trieu-tien-se-tham-chien-o-ukraine-185241021162851749.htm