‘This Is Our Business’: Putin Responds to Claims That North Korean Troops Are in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said it is up to Moscow how to run its mutual defense clause with Pyongyang when asked on Oct. 24 about North Korean troops being sent to Russia. Growing intelligence reports from multiple countries indicate that North Korean troops are in Russia and preparing to fight in Ukraine. On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv expects the first North Korean troops to be deployed to combat zones by the end of the month. In an Oct. 25 statement posted to social media platform X, Zelenskyy said: “According to intelligence, the first North Korean soldiers are expected to be deployed by Russia to combat zones as early as October 27–28. This is a clear escalation by Russia.”...