The Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov confirmed that the Ukrainian military fought with North Korean troops for the first time since Pyongyang sent its forces to help Russia, Ukrinform reported, quoted by BTA.
In an interview with South Korean media, Umerov stated that there were "small-scale clashes" between Kiev forces and North Korean soldiers. He did not provide further details.
Asked if this meant that North Korea had officially joined the war, Umerov replied: "Yes, I think so. These were clashes."
"We expect more such things in the coming weeks", Ukraine's defense minister added.
Yesterday, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, said that the first soldiers from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have already come under fire in the Kursk region, the Associated Press recalls. The agency adds that Kovalenko's information distributed in Telegram cannot be verified by an independent source.
According to an analysis published today by the European Council on Foreign Policy, an international think tank, Russia may deploy more troops from North Korea's 1.3 million-strong army, AP adds.
According to the analysis, the implications of this extend far beyond Europe.
"Despite challenges related to integration - including communication barriers and differing military doctrines - the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia represents a significant security change in Europe and Asia," the analysis said. "For the first time in generations, troops from East Asia are actively participating in a European conflict."
According to the Pentagon, more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers are already in the Kursk region to support Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.