"Any possible deployment of North Korean troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine would be a sovereign decision of Moscow and Pyongyang."
That's what Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with state media.
Putin did not explicitly confirm the dispatch of North Korean soldiers, saying that "as soon as it is necessary to make a decision, we will do it."
When foreign journalists asked Putin about the issue, he said the Russian-North Korean defense treaty provides for such a step.
Asked about satellite images provided by South Korean intelligence that purportedly showed North Korean soldiers heading toward Russia, Putin replied:
"Pictures are a serious thing; if there are pictures, they reflect something."
The comments were seen as the first indirect acknowledgement by Russia of the deployment of North Korean troops, which has already been confirmed by Ukraine, South Korea, the United States and others.
Pyongyang dismissed the reports as "baseless rumors."
"I want to say that this is our sovereign decision. Whether we use it or not, where, how, whether we participate in exercises, drills or pass on some experience. This is our business," the Russian president added. | BGNES
