“Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example. In the event of violations of the truce by the Ukrainian side, the Russian armed forces will give an adequate and effective response,” the Kremlin said in its statement.Russia has announced a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine from May 8-10, coinciding with Moscow’s World War II Victory Day commemorations.
South Korean defence ministry, meanwhile, said that the deployment of Pyongyang’s troops to Russia violates UN security resolutions.
he Kremlin, in a statement on Monday, cited Putin as hailing the heroism and dedication of the North Korean troops for being “shoulder to shoulder with Russian fighters” to defend their Motherland as “their own”.
“The Korean friends acted, guided by the sentiments of solidarity, justice and real camaraderie,” Putin said. He further added that Russia appreciates the help a lot and is “deeply grateful to comrade Kim Jong Un personally…and the North Korean people”.
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Earlier on Saturday, Moscow said that its troops had fully reclaimed the Kursk region that Ukrainian forces seized during a surprise incursion last year. However, Ukrainian officials denied the claim.
North Korea confirms troop deployment
Putin’s statements come just hours after North Korea confirmed for the first time that it had deployed its forces to Russia. State news agency KCNA had reported that Pyongyang’s soldiers helped Russia reclaim the territory from under Kyiv’s control, an AFP report said.
Kim pressed that North Korea must “take important national measures to specially honour and care for the families of war veterans”.
Meanwhile, the US, South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence officials have long reported that North Korea deployed 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia last year as part of its first participation in a major armed conflict. But until Monday, North Korea had not confirmed or denied the reports of its forces’ deployment to Moscow.
South Korea’s Ministry of Defence on Monday said that the deployment of Pyongyang’s troops to Russia violates UN Security resolutions. Its spokesperson said that “by officially acknowledging it, (the North) has admitted to its own criminal acts”.
The Unification Ministry of South Korea, on the other hand, urged the North to withdraw its fighters from Russia immediately and said that Pyongyang’s support of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine posed a grave provocation to international security.
