Moscow, Nov 29 (EFE).- Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea for an official visit on Friday, the ministry said.
A handout photo made available by the Russian Defence Ministry Press-Service shows Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov (2-L) during a meeting with his North Korean counterpart, in Pyongyang, North Korea, 29 November 2024. EFE-EPA/RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE / HANDOUT — MANDATORY CREDIT — HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES
A series of bilateral meetings have been planned with Russian military and political leaders, it added.
On Nov. 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin ratified the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed between Moscow and Pyongyang in June of this year and which includes a clause of mutual military assistance in the event of aggression.
Ukraine and the West have denounced the presence of North Korean soldiers in Russian territory, as well as the sending of large shipments of North Korean military equipment and weapons to Russia.
According to Kyiv and some of its allies, North Korea has already deployed some 11,000 soldiers in Russia.
Some of them have reportedly joined Russian troops fighting the Ukrainian army in Russia’s Kursk region, bordering Ukraine and partially occupied by Kyiv’s forces since August.
Russia, which has so far neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Korean troops on its territory, says that the treaty with the Pyongyang regime is defensive in nature and not directed against the security of third countries. EFE
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