01:12Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said he was 'very surprised' that his allies continued to insist he 'should not cross the red lines' following allegations about troops from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Russia, during a briefing alongside Iceland's PM Bjarni Bendiktsson in Reykjavik on Monday.
"Indeed, when it comes to North Korean soldiers and officers, they have both in Russia. Both are already being used on our territory," he claimed. "Three thousand North Korean soldiers. We believe that our intelligence information is appropriate and truthful, then they should have them soon - 12 thousand."
"This should be soon. It has to happen soon, not in years, not years or months but soon. It's an escalation and I am sometimes very surprised how our big strategic partners say that we should not cross the red lines, to escalate," he continued.
Earlier, the Pentagon stated that it had information about '10,000' troops from the DPRK. On Monday NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also claimed he could 'confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia'.
On Friday, the DPRK stated that any deployment of troops into Russia 'would conform' with international law, but stopped short of confirming one. During the final BRICS Summit press briefing on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked about 'satellite images' which one reporter claimed were "said to show the DPRK troops here in Russia". "Photos are a serious matter," Putin replied. "If there are images, they reflect something."
'I'm very surprised our allies insist we shouldn't cross red lines' - Zelensky claims 12,000 DPRK soldiers in Russia 'soon', some 'being used on our territory'
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said he was 'very surprised' that his allies continued to insist he 'should not cross the red lines' following allegations about troops from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Russia, during a briefing alongside Iceland's PM Bjarni Bendiktsson in Reykjavik on Monday.
"Indeed, when it comes to North Korean soldiers and officers, they have both in Russia. Both are already being used on our territory," he claimed. "Three thousand North Korean soldiers. We believe that our intelligence information is appropriate and truthful, then they should have them soon - 12 thousand."
"This should be soon. It has to happen soon, not in years, not years or months but soon. It's an escalation and I am sometimes very surprised how our big strategic partners say that we should not cross the red lines, to escalate," he continued.
Earlier, the Pentagon stated that it had information about '10,000' troops from the DPRK. On Monday NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also claimed he could 'confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia'.
On Friday, the DPRK stated that any deployment of troops into Russia 'would conform' with international law, but stopped short of confirming one. During the final BRICS Summit press briefing on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked about 'satellite images' which one reporter claimed were "said to show the DPRK troops here in Russia". "Photos are a serious matter," Putin replied. "If there are images, they reflect something."
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said he was 'very surprised' that his allies continued to insist he 'should not cross the red lines' following allegations about troops from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Russia, during a briefing alongside Iceland's PM Bjarni Bendiktsson in Reykjavik on Monday.
"Indeed, when it comes to North Korean soldiers and officers, they have both in Russia. Both are already being used on our territory," he claimed. "Three thousand North Korean soldiers. We believe that our intelligence information is appropriate and truthful, then they should have them soon - 12 thousand."
"This should be soon. It has to happen soon, not in years, not years or months but soon. It's an escalation and I am sometimes very surprised how our big strategic partners say that we should not cross the red lines, to escalate," he continued.
Earlier, the Pentagon stated that it had information about '10,000' troops from the DPRK. On Monday NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also claimed he could 'confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia'.
On Friday, the DPRK stated that any deployment of troops into Russia 'would conform' with international law, but stopped short of confirming one. During the final BRICS Summit press briefing on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked about 'satellite images' which one reporter claimed were "said to show the DPRK troops here in Russia". "Photos are a serious matter," Putin replied. "If there are images, they reflect something."