North Korea denounces 10 countries’ criticism of its military support for Russia

Pyongyang denounced criticism by the United States and its allies of North Korean support for Russia in its war on Ukraine, including the deployment of troops, refusing to characterize this support as a “reckless provocation.”

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement reported by the official North Korean News Agency on Thursday that the announcement issued by 10 countries and the European Union distorts the normal cooperation ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.

Heavy Korean losses

North Korean forces fighting alongside the Russian army to retake the Ukrainian-occupied Kursk region are suffering heavy losses, Ukraine’s domestic intelligence service said on Wednesday.

Ukraine’s domestic intelligence service, the SBU, reported, based on wiretapped phone conversations, that more than 200 injured North Koreans were transferred to a hospital near Moscow within a few days.

The agency added that there are complaints that North Korean soldiers receive preferential treatment in the hospital.

Reinforcement of Russian forces

Ukrainian military intelligence said that Moscow intends to reinforce its forces in the Russian border region of Kursk with more North Korean soldiers.

Intelligence officials explained that in addition to Russian casualties, at least 30 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded so far.

It was reported that due to the losses, the offensive forces would be reinforced with new elements, mainly from the North Korean army.

However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not comment on these reports.
Ukrainian forces entered Russian territory in a surprise attack last August and are still occupying parts of it.