U.S. intelligence believes that the idea to send troops to Russia came from North Korea, not Moscow. However, Vladimir Putin quickly agreed to the proposal.
This was reported by the New York Times with reference to US officials.
According to some Western estimates, the deployment of North Korean troops on Russian territory could have been the result of a request from the Kremlin that required additional forces. However, according to U.S. officials, U.S. intelligence agencies have established that it was Pyongyang that offered to send its soldiers to Russia, although Putin instantly agreed to it.
According to Ukraine and its Western partners, North Korea has already sent at least 10,000 soldiers to Moscow. However, the United States believes that Kim Jong-un has not received anything immediately. Instead, he hopes for Russia’s support in the future, particularly in diplomatic matters, in the event of a crisis, or to obtain technology.