Zelensky Requests Western Troop Deployment... "4,000 North Korean Soldiers Casualties"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the 9th (local time) called on Western supporting countries to send troops. He also estimated that the number of North Korean casualties deployed by Russia and involved in the Ukraine war is about 4,000. On the same day, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council announced that the total number of civilian deaths in the nearly three-year-long Ukraine war has reached approximately 12,000.

EPA Yonhap News

According to AFP and other sources, President Zelensky said at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting held at the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany that day, "Our goal is to find as many means as possible to enforce peace on Russia," adding, "I believe that the deployment of partner contingents is the best way." The UDCG is a ministerial-level consultative body of supporting countries led by the United States since the outbreak of the Ukraine war.

President Zelensky stated, "Last year, France proposed the idea of deploying contingents to Ukraine," and urged, "Let's make more practical efforts to make this possible. I have heard signals of support from some partners, including the United Kingdom." However, he did not specify whether the foreign troops he is requesting are combat forces or peacekeepers based on a ceasefire. Earlier this month, in a public interview, he mentioned supporting the deployment of peacekeepers to guarantee compliance with a peace agreement.

Along with this, President Zelensky emphasized, "We will do everything possible to end this war with dignity for Ukraine and all of Europe." He also said, "The collusion with North Korea shows Putin's (Russian President) weakness," adding, "North Korea does not value its people, and as far as we know, they have lost 4,000 soldiers to date."

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who presided over this meeting for the last time before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, warned that stopping military support to Ukraine could lead to more aggression, chaos, and war. After the meeting, he said, "The United States has always been a reliable partner and will continue to be so in the future," adding, "I will not speculate on which direction they (the Trump administration) will take."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin are attending the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting at the Ramstein U.S. Air Force Base in Germany on the 9th (local time). Photo by AFP Yonhap News

President-elect Trump, who is negative about supporting Ukraine, is scheduled to be inaugurated on the 20th. Accordingly, Western support for Ukraine is expected to be led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). President Zelensky said, "In 11 days, it will be time to cooperate more, rely on each other, and achieve greater results," adding, "It is honestly crazy to destroy now what we have built as a defense coalition without continuing to build it." Kaja Kallas, the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said the EU is ready to lead if the U.S. withdraws support for Ukraine but urged not to speculate about the future U.S. support.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the number of civilian deaths has been estimated to be in the 12,000 range. Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights at the UN, reported at a meeting the previous day that about 12,300 civilian deaths have occurred in Ukraine over nearly three years. He added, "This figure includes only confirmed deaths, so the actual number of victims is likely higher."

In particular, recent increases in casualties have been caused by drones and long-range missiles. From September to November last year, the number of civilian deaths in Ukraine increased by 30% compared to the same period the previous year, reaching 574. Deputy High Commissioner Al-Nashif pointed out, "The number of long-range drones used by Russia in Ukraine in November last year reached about 2,000." He also criticized attacks using so-called 'first-person view drones,' which can be controlled while watching live footage, stating that despite being able to distinguish between civilians and soldiers, these attacks still resulted in deaths.

Additionally, the UN pointed out that the recent surge in summary executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war captured by Russian forces constitutes 'war crimes.' Deputy High Commissioner Al-Nashif said, "Since the outbreak of the war, there have been 68 confirmed cases of summary executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces, with a recent increasing trend." He urged, "Summary executions are war crimes and must be held accountable. Russia must stop such acts and prosecute those responsible."

The Ukrainian Air Force announced in a statement that Russian forces have dropped 51,000 guided bombs since the outbreak of the Ukraine war. These weapons, also called glide bombs, are modified by attaching wings and satellite guidance systems to conventional bombs, making them difficult to track with air defense systems due to their short flight time. Russian forces also used guided bombs the day before.