MOSCOW (AP) 鈥 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 鈥渃omprehensive strategic partnership treaty,鈥 which Russian President Vladimir Putin signed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June, obliges Russia and North Korea to immediately provide military assistance using 鈥渁ll means鈥 if either is attacked. It marked the strongest link between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War.
The pact's endorsement by the upper house, the Federation Council, follows its ratification by the lower house, the State Duma, on Oct. 24.
On Monday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters that up to 10,000 North Korean soldiers were in Russia鈥檚 Kursk region and were preparing to join Moscow鈥檚 fight against Ukraine in the coming days. If they engage in combat, it would be North Korea鈥檚 first participation in a large-scale conflict since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
Moscow and Pyongyang have responded vaguely to South Korean and Western claims of the North Korean troop deployment to Russia, emphasizing that their military cooperation conforms with international law, without directly admitting the presence of the North鈥檚 forces in Russia.
On Monday, Putin met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, who was on an official visit to Russia since late last week. During her talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Choe reiterated Pyongyang鈥檚 support 鈥渇or the just fight of Russia鈥檚 military and people to defend their country鈥檚 sovereign rights and security interests鈥 in Ukraine.
Russia and North Korea have previously rejected assertions by the U.S. and its allies that Pyongyang has given Moscow ballistic missiles and millions of artillery shells for use in Ukraine.
South Korean and Western officials voiced concerns about Russia鈥檚 possible transfer of technology to North Korea to enhance its nuclear and missile programs in exchange for its troops.
On Tuesday, North Korea fired a barrage of short-range ballistic missiles into the sea in a demonstration of its military capability hours before the U.S. presidential election.
