On Thursday, the UN Security Council convened a meeting on the issue of Western arms supplies to Ukraine, at Russia's initiative, writes Reuters. The day before, the US imposed sanctions on nearly 400 legal and physical entities from more than a dozen countries, including China, as a measure to counter sanctions evasion related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
At the meeting, US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood stated that "right now" there are 8000 North Korean military personnel in Russia's Kursk region.
The US, UK, South Korea, Ukraine, and other countries accuse Russia of violating UN resolutions and the United Nations Charter by deploying troops from North Korea, which has long been under UN sanctions aimed at halting Pyongyang's development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Moreover, on Wednesday, Ukraine named three North Korean generals who, in its opinion, are accompanying the Asian country's troops in Russia.
Moscow neither denied nor confirmed the presence of North Korean troops. North Korea, after initially denying the presence of its military in the combat zone, began to defend the idea of troop deployment as compliant with international law norms.
Also in the Security Council, the US and China clashed over Washington's accusations that Beijing is providing extensive support to Russia's defense-industrial base. "China cannot credibly claim to be a champion of peace when it allows Russia to wage the largest war in Europe in decades. China's support for Russia is crucial. China's support prolongs the war," said Wood.
China's Deputy Ambassador to the UN Geng Shuang stated that China has not provided weapons to any party in the Ukraine conflict and strictly monitors dual-use items—products that can be used for both military and civilian purposes—in accordance with global rules. He accused Washington of "stoking anxiety, inventing enemies, and inciting confrontation."