Russia’s Deputy FM Visits North Korea Amid Ukraine War and Troop Allegations

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko has arrived in North Korea, as reported by state media KCNA. His visit follows U.S. claims that thousands of North Korean troops are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

Rudenko, a key figure in Russia-North Korea relations since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, previously participated in early war peace talks. KCNA confirmed he visited a monument in Pyongyang but withheld further details.

According to U.S., Ukrainian, and South Korean officials, over 12,000 North Korean soldiers are engaged in combat in Russia's Kursk region. In January, then-U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the U.N., Dorothy Shea, raised concerns at the U.N. Security Council regarding North Korea’s military involvement.

Amid these developments, U.S. President Donald Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to spare Ukrainian troops being pushed out of Kursk. Putin responded, stating he would do so if they surrendered.

Rudenko’s visit underscores Russia’s growing ties with Pyongyang as tensions over the Ukraine war continue.