Meanwhile, the country’s army chief has warned that Ukrainian forces are facing “one of the most powerful offensives” from Moscow since the full-scale war began over two years ago.
EDITOR’S PICKS
Zelenskyy raised the possibility of a preemptive strike on the training camps of the North Korean troops, stating that Ukraine is aware of their locations.
He emphasized that such action cannot be taken without permission from allies to utilize Western-made long-range weapons for targeting sites deep within Russia.
“But instead … America is watching, Britain is watching, Germany is watching. Everyone is just waiting for the North Korean military to start attacking Ukrainians as well,” Zelenskyy said in a post late Friday on the Telegram messaging app.
The Biden administration announced on Thursday that approximately 8,000 North Korean soldiers are currently stationed in Russia’s Kursk region, close to the Ukrainian border, and are preparing to assist the Kremlin in its efforts against Ukrainian forces in the coming days.
On Saturday, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, GUR, reported that over 7,000 North Korean troops, equipped with Russian weapons and gear, had been relocated to areas adjacent to Ukraine. The agency also mentioned that these soldiers are receiving training at five sites in Russia’s Far East, though it did not disclose its source of this information.
Western leaders have characterized the deployment of North Korean troops as a significant escalation, potentially straining relations in the Asia Pacific and paving the way for technology transfers from Moscow to Pyongyang, which could enhance North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
On Friday, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui held talks with her Russian counterpart in Moscow.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly stated their need for authorization to use Western weaponry to strike military depots, airfields, and bases located deep within Russia to incentivize the Kremlin to pursue peace. In response, U.S. defence officials have pointed out that the number of available missiles is limited and noted that Ukraine is already employing its own long-range drones to reach targets further inside Russian territory.
Moscow has consistently warned that it would consider any such strikes as a significant escalation. President Vladimir Putin cautioned on September 12 that Russia would regard the U.S. and NATO countries as being “at war” if they approved these actions.
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