The Russian leader made this announcement during the two-day BRICS Summit held in the Russian city of Kazan. It came in the form of a response to a question by Cyrus Simmons of NBC News, who asked Putin about the presence of North Korean troops in Russia, as suggested by satellite images released by South Korea.
"Photos are a serious thing. If there are photos, then they reflect something," said Putin, who then recapped the history of Russia's conflict with Ukraine that began in 2014.
"As for our relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea [DPRK]: As you know … our agreement on strategic partnership was ratified. There is Article Four. We do not doubt that the North Korean leadership takes our agreements seriously. What and how we will do within the framework of this article is our business," he continued.
"First, we need to conduct appropriate negotiations regarding the implementation of Article Four of this agreement. We are in contact with our North Korean friends. We will see how this process develops."
Article Four of the mutual defense treaty, formally the DPRK-Russia Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reads: "In case either of the signatories is placed in a state of war by an armed attack by one or more several states, the other shall provide military and other assistance with all means in its possession without delay, in accordance with Article 51 of the [United Nations] Charter and the laws of the DPRK and the Russian Federation." (Related: North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Russia's Vladimir Putin sign mutual defense treaty.)
Writing for Free West Media (FWM), commentator Marko Marjanovic pointed out that behind the document's "unassuming name lies a [full-fledged] mutual defense treaty."
"Asked about the presence of North Koreans, Putin – unprompted – instead opted to inform the reporter about the larger picture: Russia has a defensive alliance treaty with North Korea, which has now been triggered," Marjanovic wrote.
Russia and North Korea strengthening military ties is bad news for America
Marjanovic, the writer behind the Anti-Empire website, also put in his two cents on the development in the FWM piece. He noted that Putin did not pertain to the deployment of North Koreans in Russia as merely a "military exercise."
"If the [North] Koreans are in Russia, that is the context they are there in – not some 'exercise.' Whether [North] Korean soldiers appear on the frontline is somewhat beside the point. Whether they do or not, some additional form of military aid will be rendered. And whether they do or not, Russia will accrue a debt to North Korea and an obligation to defend [Pyongyang] in the future," Marjanovic wrote.
Marjanovic also pointed out that Russia and North Korea becoming each other's best friends represents a severe case of blowback for America. "[North Korea] getting a powerful backer and close ally is unwelcome for [Washington] and karma for backing Moscow and Pyongyang both into a corner," he wrote.
"It should be understood that for North Korea, helping Russia is not without cost and danger either; it paints an American target on [Pyongyang]. But provoking the American Empire's ire can be worth it if an Article Four security guarantee from Russia – along with oil, fertilizer, [technology] transfers [and more] – is won in return."
Head over to RussiaReport.news for more stories about North Korean military aid to Russia.
Watch this video of Vladimir Putin confirming that Russia's mutual defense treaty with North Korea has been invoked, paving the way for Pyongyang's troop deployments.
This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.
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South Korea claims North Korean troops will fight for Russia in Ukraine starting on November 1.
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