DPRK officially enters war against Ukraine, says AFU officer

This information was shared by Ihor Lapin, an officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and People's Deputy of the 8th convocation, on Espreso TV.

"We can now talk about whether we see troop movements from the DPRK or not. It's like the Russians claiming they moved tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. Is that a violation of nuclear non-proliferation rules? The Russians said they handed them over, Lukashenko claimed he received them. Yet the Western world says they don't have proof that DPRK engineering teams were sent to Russia," Lapin explained.

Russia has made this statement, and North Korea has confirmed it. According to Lapin, this marks the official entry of another country into the war.

"If the Western world accepts this, then excuse me. Remember the Iran situation? We all said Iran's main enemy was Israel, not Ukraine. But look at what's happening today. If North Korea gets technology from Russia, what will the regional stabilizers say? 'Well, we don't see the soldiers yet, let's wait.' But what will we do then?" he added.

Background

On June 19, Vladimir Putin visited North Korea at Kim Jong Un's invitation. They signed a strategic partnership agreement for mutual assistance in case of an attack. Kim Jong Un also expressed "unconditional support" for Russia in the Ukraine war.

Later, North Korea released the agreement details, covering cooperation in war, science, and the economy.

On June 20, Putin warned South Korea against supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons, threatening consequences that Seoul would dislike.

Defense expert Ivan Kyrychevskyi suggests North Korea might send an expeditionary force to support Russia. 

Recently, Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder stated that North Korean troops would become cannon fodder if they joined Russian forces in Ukraine.

On July 2, the US Department of Defense reported no confirmation of North Korean troops being sent to Russia.

Major Yehor Checherynda of the Ukrainian Armed Forces discussed the military threat if North Korea deploys engineering brigades to Ukraine's front lines.