Small number of North Korean soldiers reportedly already in Ukraine – media

CNN reports this, citing its own sources.

Sources indicate that the presence of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine goes beyond recent NATO and Pentagon confirmations. On Monday, it was revealed that approximately 10,000 DPRK troops are being trained in eastern Russia, with some already en route to the Kursk region.

It looks like some of them are already in action, an official noted on Tuesday, referring to the North Korean soldiers.

According to CNN, it’s still uncertain how much of an impact the North Korean forces will have on the battlefield. Many of the troops deployed are said to be special forces, and intelligence assessments suggest that North Korea believes its soldiers are better trained and more specialized than the standard Russian troops, giving them an edge in combat.

However, officials also anticipate that some North Korean soldiers may abandon their units once they face battlefield conditions. Additionally, the language barrier with Russian troops is expected to be a significant obstacle in conducting coordinated operations.

Russian instructors have taught North Korean soldiers basic commands in Russian, like ‘fire’ and ‘hold position,’ South Korean lawmakers reported.

Military cooperation between Russia and North Korea

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.