Russia ratifies North Korea pact after US says up to 10,000 North Korean troops deployed to Kursk
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The upper house of Russian parliament on Wednesday ratified a treaty with North Korea envisioning mutual military assistance, a move that comes as the U.S. has confirmed the deployment of 10,000 North Korean troops to Russia. The “comprehensive strategic partnership treaty,” which Russian President Vladimir Putin signed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on a visit to Pyongyang in June, obliges Russia and North Korea to immediately provide military assistance using “all means” if either is attacked. On Monday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters that up to 10,000 North Korean soldiers were in Russia’s Kursk region and were preparing to join Moscow’s fight against Ukraine in the coming days. On Monday, Putin met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, who was on an official visit to Russia since late last week.