North Korea Preparing To Send 50,000 Troops For Russia's Aid Amid Ukraine War: Report

Russia-Ukraine Crisis: North Korea has issued a call for volunteers to fight in the Ukraine war. The country is preparing to send 50,000 troops to support Russia, as per the report.

North Korea is preparing to send 50,000 troops to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine, The Eurasian Times reported quoting a Russian state TV correspondent, The journalist Aleksander Sladkov, who specialises in military affairs, claimed that North Korea is strongly supporting Russia during the Ukraine war.

He claimed that North Korea is willing to send troops to participate in the war, citing Pyongyang sources, and that at least 50,000 North Korean troops are ready to assist the Russian military. North Korea has issued a call for volunteers willing to fight in the war, and he claims that around 800,000 people have expressed their interest.

"I spoke with a friend of mine who is the head of a Korean War veterans' organisation. He was recently here. 'What do you have?' The journalist was quoted as saying in the report. "50,000 special forces are ready for deployment," it added. 

The US had earlier asserted that Russia was obtaining weapons from North Korea and using them in the invasion of Ukraine. Both North Korea and Russia have refuted the allegations.

White House Alleges Russia Of Seeking More Arms From N Korea: 

The White House said on Thursday that Russia is still looking for arms from North Korea for the Ukraine war, despite Pyongyang having already shipped artillery munitions to the Wagner Group fighting on the front lines, news agency AFP reported. 

John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, had previously stated that North Korea is secretly supplying a "significant number" of artillery shells to Russia. Kirby also added that North Korea is rerouting the shipments through nations in the Middle East and North Africa.

"Our indications are that the DPRK is supplying covertly, and we will monitor to see if the shipments are received," John Kirby said.

US officials stated that Russia's acquisition of weapons from Iran and North Korea shows that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and western sanctions have weakened Russia's military capabilities and reduced its ability to manufacture new weapons.