On the 8th, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun Says "High Possibility of Dispatch"
The Kremlin in Russia dismissed claims that North Korea has deployed troops to support Russian forces in Ukraine as "fake news."
According to TASS news agency on the 10th (local time), Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, made this statement during a briefing when asked about the matter. However, he did not provide further details.
On the 8th, during the National Assembly's National Defense Committee audit, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun mentioned, "Since Russia and North Korea have signed a mutual agreement almost equivalent to a military alliance, the possibility of troop deployment is considered very high."
Regarding reports that North Korean soldiers were casualties in a missile attack by Ukrainian forces near the Russian-occupied area of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, he also assessed, "Considering various circumstances, it is highly likely to be true."
The "mutual agreement almost equivalent to a military alliance" signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un in June includes provisions that if one side is invaded, the other will provide military assistance.
Spokesperson Peskov also commented on media reports about Ukraine's ceasefire plans, saying, "There are many speculations and rumors about this issue," and "No one has taken any measures related to a ceasefire."
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