The first units of North Korean soldiers have already arrived in the fighting zone in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops control hundreds of square kilometers, Ukrainian military authorities said.
“The first units of the North Korean army, which were trained at training camps in eastern Russia, have already arrived in the combat zone” between Ukraine and Russia, the Ukrainian military intelligence services (GUR) said in a press release .
“On October 23, 2024”, that is, Wednesday, “his appearance was recorded in the region [russa] from Kursk”, they added.
The statement comes on the same day that Russian deputies unanimously voted to ratify the “comprehensive strategic partnership treaty” with North Korea, which provides for mutual assistance in the event of armed aggression by a third country.
The presence of North Korean soldiers on Russian territory has, in recent days, worried the West, which fears that their participation in the fighting could lead to a major escalation in the war.
For its part, North Korea denies having provided Russia with new forces for its attack on Ukraine, with a Pyongyang representative at the UN calling it an “unfounded rumor”.
But according to a White House spokesman, “between early and mid-October, North Korea deployed at least 3,000 troops” to eastern Russia, confirming information initially provided by Seoul.
Washington, however, said it did not know whether they would fight alongside the Russian Army in Ukraine, although it considered it a “very worrying possibility”. If this is the case, these soldiers will be “legitimate military targets”, warned the US spokesman.
South Korean intelligence assured last week that North Korea had decided to send up to 12,000 troops to help Russia. In recent months, Pyongyang had already been accused by the West of supplying bombs and missiles to the Russian Army.
