Zelenskyy calls on allies 'not to hide,' respond to North Korean involvement in war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called connected allies connected Tuesday "not to hide" and to respond to grounds of North Korean engagement successful Russia's warfare successful Ukraine.

He said successful his nightly code that Ukraine had accusation astir the mentation of 2 units - perchance up to 12,000 North Korean troops - to instrumentality portion successful the warfare alongside Russian forces.

"This is simply a challenge, but we cognize however to respond to this challenge. It is important that partners bash not fell from this situation arsenic well," Zelenskyy said.

The caput of Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence told the U.S. work "The War Zone" that Kyiv expected North Korean forces to crook up connected Wednesday successful Russia's confederate Kursk region, wherever Ukrainian forces launched an incursion successful August.

"We are waiting for the archetypal units time successful the Kursk direction, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov told the media outlet. "It is unclear astatine the infinitesimal however galore oregon however they volition beryllium equipped. We volition spot aft a mates of days."

In his remarks, Zelenskyy said neither North Korea nor Russia took immoderate relationship of the fig of dormant successful a conflict.

"But each of america successful the satellite person an adjacent involvement successful ending the war, not successful prolonging it. We indispensable truthful halt Russia and its accomplices," helium said.

"If North Korea tin intervene successful a warfare successful Europe, past the unit connected this authorities is decidedly insufficient."

British Defense Secretary John Healey said connected Tuesday it was "highly likely" that North Korea had begun sending hundreds of troops to assistance Russia successful the much than 2-1/2-year-old conflict.

A elder authoritative astatine South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's bureau said Seoul whitethorn see straight supplying weapons to Ukraine arsenic portion of measures to antagonistic subject ties betwixt North Korea and Russia.

A apical U.S. diplomat said connected Monday that Washington was consulting with its allies connected the implications of North Korean engagement and added that specified a improvement would beryllium a "dangerous and highly concerning development" if true.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said connected Monday the dispatch of North Korean troops would importantly escalate the conflict.