Russia "Ukraine military operation progressing rapidly"... No mention of North Korean troops' involvement

Kremlin Palace Spokesperson Briefing

Russia stated that its special military operation in Ukraine is progressing rapidly but did not mention whether North Korean troops are participating.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Russian Kremlin. Reuters Yonhap News

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, said at a briefing on the 13th (local time), "The special military operation is developing very quickly and is continuing in an all-out manner."

The previous day, the U.S. State Department announced that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers dispatched to Kursk, Russia, have begun participating in combat against Ukrainian forces. On the same day, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, visiting NATO headquarters in Brussels, reaffirmed North Korea’s combat involvement and warned of a "firm response." The National Intelligence Service also assessed that North Korean troops deployed to Russia are already engaged in combat.

Regarding the activation of a U.S. missile base in Rejicowo, northern Poland, Peskov criticized it as "U.S. military infrastructure in Europe advancing toward our borders" and said it is "merely an attempt to suppress our military potential." He warned that "appropriate measures will be taken to ensure parity."

On reports that Israel and Lebanon are nearing a ceasefire agreement through Russian mediation, he avoided specific comments, stating, "We are maintaining a very responsible stance and continue to do our best to promote a ceasefire."

When asked about Russian anti-government activists in exile such as Yulia Navalnaya, Vladimir Kara-Murza, and Ilya Yashin planning to hold an anti-Russia special military operation rally in Berlin, Germany, on the 17th, he dismissed it, saying, "We have no interest."

Peskov drew a clear line, saying, "They are irreversibly and completely separated from the state; they have nothing to do with our country, and our country has nothing to do with them." He also announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold his annual press conference and dialogue with the public in mid to late next month.