There has been speculation for several days that North Korea may send its troops to Russia. While the US and South Korea claim to have relevant evidence, there is no confirmation from Russia. Now, however, Ukrainian military intelligence reports that, according to its data, the first North Korean soldiers have already arrived in the Russian border region of Kursk, German public media ARD informs.
Zelensky's appeal
The units were previously trained at training centers in the eastern part of Russia, the intelligence service said on its Telegram channel. Their arrival in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops still control dozens of settlements, was registered already on Wednesday. Therefore, North Korean soldiers could join the attempts of Russian units to repel the Ukrainian offensive, ARD explains.
Citing intelligence information, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in Telegram that Russia will first use North Korean soldiers on October 27 and 28, when it will deploy them to combat zones. In this regard, Zelensky called on Ukraine's Western allies to react with "tangible pressure" on the governments in Moscow and Pyongyang.
Putin: "What we do is our business"
Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an evasive answer to a question about North Korean soldiers, but did not deny reports on the subject. At the end of the BRICS meeting in Kazan, he explained that Russia and North Korea have concluded a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, which also includes military cooperation.
"Russia has never doubted that North Korea has a serious intention to cooperate with the Russian Federation," Putin said, adding: "What we do is our business.
The West has long accused North Korea of supporting Russia's war against Ukraine with weapons. Parts of North Korean missile debris have already been found in Ukraine. This was confirmed to ARD by representatives of the Kyiv Institute of Forensic Science.
50 meters of toilet paper and 300 grams of soap per soldier per month
Just last Friday, South Korea published satellite images that it claimed proved the deployment of North Korean troops at a Russian military base. According to South Korean and US estimates, at least 3,000 North Korean soldiers are currently being trained in Russia. However, Pyongyang is believed to be able to send a total of around 12,000 troops.
The North Koreans are provided with ammunition, bedding, winter clothing and shoes, as well as hygiene products, including 50 meters of toilet paper and 300 grams of soap per soldier per month, Ukrainian intelligence wrote in Telegram.
South Korean weapons for Ukraine?
Meanwhile, Pyongyang rejected reports of North Korean troops stationed in Russia. The accusations were an attempt to "undermine friendly relations between sovereign states" North Korea and Russia.
South Korea, in turn, described the alleged deployment of North Korean soldiers in Russia as a provocation, and President Yun Seok-yeol hinted that Seoul may change its position on arms supplies to Ukraine.