North Korean special forces in Russia for Ukraine war: South Korea

Pyongyang has decided to dispatch a total of 12,000 troops, media reports say

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Russia's President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un attend a gala concert in Pyongyang in June 2024. (Sputnik/pool via Reuters)

SEOUL (AP) -- South Korea's spy agency said Friday that North Korea has dispatched troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine. If confirmed, the move would bring a third country into the war and intensify a standoff between North Korea and the West.

The South Korean announcement came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his government has intelligence that 10,000 troops from North Korea are being prepared to join Russian forces fighting against his country.

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