3,000 DPRK soldiers deployed in Russia's Kursk region - Center for Countering Disinformation

Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, says.

"3,000 DPRK troops are in the Kursk region. They will be gradually introduced into combat in various units of the Russian army, their Russian documents are already ready," he wrote.

According to him, the DPRK military will be wearing Russian uniforms, and propaganda will present them as Kalmyks, Tuvans, and Buryats.

In addition, engineers from North Korea are present in the Donetsk region.

"In general, the Russians plan to involve the DPRK military in the Kursk region for training in combat conditions. In total, Russia now has 12,000 DPRK military personnel. In the future, the Russian Federation also plans to use them in the temporarily occupied territories. All plans are known," Kovalenko added.

Military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK

On October 4, the Kyiv Post reported that 20 soldiers were killed in a missile strike on occupied Donetsk, including six North Korean military personnel advising the Russian army.

The South Korean Defense Minister warned on October 8 that North Korea may deploy troops to Ukraine in support of Russia.

At an October 17 press conference in Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed Russia's plan to train 10,000 North Korean soldiers for combat in Ukraine.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Military Intelligence, later reported that 11,000 North Korean infantrymen are training in eastern Russia, preparing for deployment to Ukraine. He added that the first unit of 2,600 soldiers is en route to Kursk, where Ukraine has established a stronghold.

Ukraine has since shared intelligence with NATO about North Korea’s military involvement and requested data from alliance members.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that the participation of the North Korean military in the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia would mean a “significant escalation.” 

Later, it was reported that South Korea was considering providing Ukraine with military and intelligence assistance in response to North Korea's sending its military to fight on the side of Russia.

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine reported that on October 23, the North Korean military was spotted in the Kursk region.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that according to intelligence, the first North Korean military would be used by Russia in combat zones on October 27-28.

On October 25, South Korea's intelligence agency announced that North Korea plans to send a second batch of its military personnel to Russia, totaling up to 10,000 people.

Later, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in the Kursk region of Russia, noting that this was “a significant escalation in the DPRK's ongoing involvement in Russia's illegal war.”

During the Ukraine-Northern Europe summit, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russian army is already using North Korean soldiers on the territory of Ukraine.