NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has verified the deployment of North Korean troops to the Kursk region of Russia. Rutte described this as a “sign of Putin’s desperation.”

NATO issued a statement regarding the allegations that North Korean soldiers were sent to Ukraine to support the Russian army.

Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, NATO chief Mark Rutte stated, “I can confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and deployed to the Kursk region.”

Ukrainian forces infiltrated the Kursk region of Russia on August 6, making significant progress there. It was reported that Russia suffered substantial losses of soldiers in Kursk.

Rutte said that the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia to support Moscow’s war efforts in Ukraine is a sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “desperation.”

Continuing his statement, Rutte highlighted that the deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security. He added, “NATO calls on Russia and North Korea to immediately halt these actions.”

The NATO leader also mentioned that “600,000 or more Russian soldiers have died or been wounded in Putin’s war.”