Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that it was Russia’s prerogative to deploy North Korean troops for the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to journalists at the final press conference of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, Putin said: “This is our sovereign decision. Whether we use it or not, where, how, or whether we engage in exercises, training, or transfer some experience. It’s our business.”
Putin’s comments mark the first time that the Russian president commented on the dispatch of the North Korean military to Russia. While he did not deny their presence on Russian territory, he did not specify why they were there.