According to kyiv, some 11,000 North Korean soldiers are already deployed in Russia and have started fighting against the Ukrainians on Russian territory, in the Kursk region, a small part of which has been occupied by Ukrainian forces on the offensive since August. The Kremlin has so far evaded questions about this presence of North Korean reinforcements.
The agreement formalizes months of deepening security cooperation between the two countries, communist allies throughout the Cold War.
Russia and North Korea have grown significantly closer since Russia’s attack on Ukraine began in 2022.
The agreement also commits the two countries to cooperate internationally to oppose Western sanctions and coordinate their positions at the United Nations.
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui recently visited Moscow where she said her country would “stand firmly with Russian comrades until Victory Day.” She called the offensive against Ukraine a “sacred struggle” and praised the wisdom of Vladimir Putin.
