Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s top security adviser, visits North Korea to meet Kim Jong Un, highlighting strengthening security ties. The visit follows claims of North Korea sending troops to aid Russia in Ukraine. A mutual defense pact exists between the two nations, although detailed acknowledgments of military deployments have not been made.
Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s top security adviser and former defense minister, arrived in North Korea with plans to meet Kim Jong Un, as reported by the TASS news agency. This visit is significant amid the increasing security ties between Russia and North Korea. Details regarding the meeting have not been disclosed, and North Korean state media did not confirm Mr. Shoigu’s arrival.
Historically, Mr. Shoigu has visited Pyongyang amid North Korea’s alleged preparations to send troops to assist Russia in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine. According to American and South Korean intelligence, North Korea has reportedly deployed approximately 11,000 soldiers to combat in Russia’s Kursk region and has supplied heavy weaponry, including artillery and ballistic missiles.
The situation in Kursk remains tense as Russian forces strive to fend off a Ukrainian offensive. Concurrently, North Korea is presumed to have received military technology and economic support from Russia in exchange for its assistance. While neither nation has confirmed the deployment of troops or weaponry, they maintain their strategic partnership formed by a treaty signed by President Putin and Kim Jong Un in June 2024, which includes a mutual defense agreement obligating both countries to aid each other in case of an attack.
In conclusion, the arrival of Sergey Shoigu in North Korea underscores the strengthening security relationship between Russia and North Korea amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This partnership includes a mutual defense pact that has implications for both nations’ military strategies, although details remain undisclosed. The deployment of North Korean troops in Ukraine signifies the growing collaboration between the two regimes, despite the lack of official acknowledgment from either side.
Original Source: www.independent.co.uk
