International NATO: Russian losses of more than 600,000 soldiers
According to NATO, Russia's President Vladimir Putin is now dependent on support from abroad to continue his war of aggression against Ukraine. "More than 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Putin's war, and he is not in a position to maintain his attack on Ukraine without foreign support," said Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels.
28.10.2024, 12:47
SDA
The number of victims cited by NATO has thus doubled in around a year. Rutte did not say how many of the Russian victims Nato estimates to be dead.
Following discussions about a possible imminent combat mission by North Korean soldiers in Ukraine, Rutte also said that he could confirm that North Korean military units were stationed in the Kursk region near the border. From the point of view of the defense alliance, this represents a significant escalation and a dangerous expansion of Russia's war.
"The intensified military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a threat to security both in the Indo-Pacific and in the Euro-Atlantic area," said Rutte. He pointed out that North Korea had already supplied Russia with millions of rounds of ammunition and ballistic missiles. These were further fueling a serious conflict in the heart of Europe.
Rutte and representatives of the 32 NATO states had previously discussed the latest intelligence findings with experts from South Korea. According to the South Korean secret service, North Korea is said to have already sent thousands of soldiers to Russia and is planning to deploy a total of around 12,000 soldiers. Russia and North Korea rejected the intention of a combat mission in the Russian-Ukrainian war as speculation until recently.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently called for an international response in view of the possible deployment of North Korean soldiers on Russia's side. "Ukraine will effectively be forced to fight against North Korea in Europe," the head of state stated. Without decisive action by the allies, Russian President Vladimir Putin would only be encouraged to further "terror", he warned.
