NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed on Monday that North Korean troops have been deployed to the Russian border region, characterizing this development as a “significant escalation” of the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Rutte emphasized that this situation poses a serious threat to security in both Europe and the Korean Peninsula, indicating a troubling expansion of hostilities.
In his statements, Rutte described the reliance on foreign support as indicative of President Putin’s “growing desperation” in a conflict that has reportedly resulted in the deaths or injuries of approximately 600,000 Russian troops. His comments followed a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, which included discussions with South Korean intelligence officials and diplomats from Australia and Japan regarding escalating tensions in the region.
Recent intelligence from Ukraine has suggested that around 11,000 North Korean infantrymen are undergoing training in eastern Russia, with Pyongyang also providing military equipment and manpower. Rutte condemned the deployment of North Korean forces to the Kursk region—a site of previous incursions by Ukraine—as a clear indication of North Korea’s deepening involvement in Russia’s illegal military actions.
He further noted that this development constitutes a violation of United Nations resolutions and represents a dangerous expansion of Russia’s war efforts following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Rutte, who recently assumed leadership at NATO, highlighted the gravity of the situation, reinforcing concerns that this may be a precursor to broader conflict.
The international community is increasingly alarmed, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy describing the situation as the “first step to a world war.” In response, Ukraine has begun releasing videos in Korean, urging North Korean soldiers to surrender as prisoners of war.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Russia last week, although he refrained from commenting on their specific role in the conflict.
