“The Pentagon notes that Russian troops trained these North Korean soldiers in the use of artillery, UAVs, and basic infantry operations”, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
“We see over 10,000 North Korean soldiers. Most of them moved to the extreme west of the Kursk region, where, as reported, they began to participate in hostilities with Russian troops. At this point, I can’t say more about what exactly it will cause or may cause, other than that we’re watching very closely,” said Defense Department spokesman Patrick Ryder.
According to him, the Russian troops trained these North Korean soldiers in the use of artillery, UAVs, basic infantry operations – all these skills will be used on the front lines.
“And so, for our part, what we’re doing is we’re continuing to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs in terms of security assistance to defend itself against Russian aggression. And we will continue to consult closely with our allies and partners on next steps,” he added.
Instead, the US State Department confirmed that the North Korean military began to take part in military operations against Ukrainian troops in the territory of the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
“Russia has trained North Korean soldiers in artillery, the use of UAVs and basic infantry skills, including trench clearing, which are critical skills for front-line operations,” US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said at a briefing.
According to him, Russia’s success on the battlefield with the involvement of North Korean troops will largely depend on how well the Russian Federation can integrate North Korean soldiers into its armed forces.
The first combat clashes between the Ukrainian and North Korean military took place in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation – on November 5, this information was confirmed by the Financial Times and Suspilny sources in the special services. It was reported that so far “there are no major clashes”.
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The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that the first military units from the DPRK arrived in the combat zone of the Russian-Ukrainian war – on October 23, “their appearance was recorded in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.” According to GUR estimates, the number of North Korean troops transferred to Russia is now about 12,000, including 500 officers, including three Pyongyang generals.
On October 22, South Korea announced a possible review of support for Kyiv, in particular regarding the provision of lethal weapons and the deployment of personnel, depending on the situation in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, commenting on information about the transfer of North Korean troops to Russia, did not deny these data. When asked that, according to satellite images, North Korean military personnel are in Russia, Putin replied: “The images are a serious matter. If there are pictures, they reflect something.” He recalled that the State Duma of the Russian Federation ratified the strategic partnership agreement with North Korea, noting that Moscow “never doubted that the North Korean leadership takes our agreements seriously.”