Last week, Putin visited North Korea for the first time in nearly 25 years. During the visit, he and North Korean President Kim Jong Un signed a so-called defense pact, reports say Kyiv Post.
The agreement states that if either country is put to war by an armed force, the other country must provide them with military support, without delay.
Earlier this week, Pyongyang announced that it will send military troops to support Russian forces in the Donetsk region. The North Korean troops are expected to be in place as soon as next month.
Sent to his own execution
North Korea has already sent nearly two million rounds of artillery ammunition, missiles and rockets to Russia since the two countries met in Russia in September.
Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said during a June 25 meeting that the North Korean troops are being sent to their own execution, and he questioned the decision.
– I think if I were the North Korean military leadership, I would question the choice to send my forces to become cannon fodder in an illegal war against Ukraine – we have seen the losses suffered by Russian forces, said Pat Ryder.
Becomes a bridge between Russia and China
Ilya Ponomarev, a former Russian parliamentarian, told the UK’s Daily Express that North Korea has become an important bridge between Russia and China. Then China can indirectly assist Russia, by sending military equipment via North Korea, and thus avoid sanctions from the West.
– China is careful not to fall victim to secondary sanctions from the US, but North Korea is not in danger, he told the Daily Express.