Putin does not reject alleged arrival of North Korean troops in Russia

President Vladimir Putin has not denied reports of North Korean troops being sent to Russia, following US claims of evidence suggesting that Pyongyang has allegedly dispatched thousands of soldiers, potentially for deployment in Ukraine.

The United States alleged on Wednesday that it had obtained evidence indicating the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has sent 3,000 troops to Russia, potentially for use in Ukraine, a development the West views as a major escalation in the persisting war.

“Russia never doubted that the DPRK is serious about Russian cooperation, we are in cooperation with our North Korean friends,” Putin stressed on Thursday when he was asked to confirm the reports.

“What we will do is our business,” he added at a press conference on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan.

The Russian leader said that it is Moscow’s decision how to manage its mutual defense agreement with Pyongyang, accusing the West of intensifying the Ukraine conflict.

When asked by a reporter about satellite imagery purportedly showing North Korean troop movements, Putin said that “Images are a serious thing. If there are images, then they reflect something.”

Russia has repeatedly warned against the flow of Western weapons to Ukraine, saying it prolongs the ongoing war, which Moscow launched in February 2022.

“We know who is present there, from which European NATO countries, and how they carry out this work,” Putin said.

He specifically referenced Article 4 of Russia’s partnership agreement with North Korea, which addresses mutual defense.

“There is article 4. We have never doubted in the least that the North Korean leadership takes our agreements seriously. But what we do within the framework of this article is our business,” Putin stressed.

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Elsewhere in his remarks, the Russian president said peace with neighboring Ukraine must be based on “realities on the ground”, emphasizing that any peace proposals with Ukraine must recognize the territories under Russian control.

Back in September 2022, Moscow formally added four Ukrainian regions Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia to the Russian Federation following holding referendums in the said regions. However, Russian troops have not yet managed to fully control the regions.

“We are ready to look at any proposals for peace negotiations that are based on the realities on the ground. We won’t accept anything else,” Putin said.

The ongoing war and the annexation of the Ukrainian regions severely strained relations between Russia and the United States, which is the biggest supporter of Kiev, militarily and financially.

Touching on the US-Russia ties, Putin said improving the mutual ties after the upcoming US presidential election would depend on Washington.

“How Russian-American relations will develop after the election will depend on the United States. If they are open, then we will also be open. And if they don’t want it, then fine,” Putin stressed.