Ukraine claims North Korea sending soldiers to fight for Russia

Sources say thousands of soldiers being trained in Russia's Far East for possible deployment near the Kursk region

Ukrainian intelligence has reported that North Korea has escalated its support for Russia's war in Ukraine by not only supplying weapons but also sending thousands of its soldiers to fight for the Kremlin.

According to sources, "The first units are already being formed for deployment to the border areas and Russian territories."

It was revealed that several thousand North Korean soldiers are being trained in Russia's Far East, with preparations underway for their deployment, potentially towards Kursk, a Russian region where Ukrainian forces launched an incursion in August.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky affirmed on Sunday that North Koreans are actively fighting alongside Russian forces, emphasising an "increasing alliance between Russia and regimes like North Korea."

He stated in his nightly video address, "This is no longer just about transferring weapons. It is actually about transferring people from North Korea to the occupying military forces."

The US State Department expressed concern over reports of North Korean soldiers participating in the conflict.

Spokesperson Matthew Miller stated, "If that’s true, it would mark a significant increase in the relationship between those two countries, the relationship that you have seen develop over the past several months."

In response to the allegations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed them as a hoax. This development comes as Russia faces setbacks in Ukraine, struggling with high casualties and depleted munitions, particularly in Kursk, which has become the first Russian territory occupied by foreign military forces since World War II.

North Korea is already providing Moscow with much-needed ammunition, including millions of artillery shells, in exchange for critical military technology for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Despite both Moscow and Pyongyang denying any transfer of arms, they committed to enhancing military ties in June when President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a mutual defence pact in Pyongyang.

General Charles Flynn, the US Army’s Indo-Pacific commander, noted that North Korea's military has lacked real-time feedback on its weaponry.

He highlighted the potential implications of North Korean soldiers' involvement in the Ukraine war, stating, "That kind of feedback from a real battlefield to North Korea to be able to make adjustments on their weapons, their ammunition, their capabilities, and even their people — to me, is very concerning."