Troops from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are now actively engaging Ukrainian forces in the Russian oblast of Kursk, multiple intelligence agencies have claimed.
Security personnel from the US and the Republic of Korea have both confirmed that North Korean troops have been involved in fighting.
“Today I can confirm that over 10,000 DPRK soldiers have been sent to eastern Russia, and most of them have moved to the far western Kursk Oblast, where they have begun engaging in combat operations with Russian forces,” US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said on November 12.
This was confirmed the following day by South Korean officials, who described members of the North Korean armed forces as having trickled into Kursk “over the past two weeks”.
The confirmation of the fighting came after unconfirmed reports from Ukrainian officials a few days ago that they had engaged DPRK troops for the first time.
Ukraine, which said it believed the number of North Korean troops in the region was around 11,000, described the initial skirmishes as being small in scale.
“They’re wearing Russian uniforms, they’re undergoing tactical training, and they’re being deployed under various commands of the Russian army on the front lines,” one official said.
According to Washington, doubts remain as to the effectiveness of Pyongyang’s troops in the theatre of war, with officials questioning whether North Korean troops could effectively co-operate with their Russian allies.
“Some of the challenges they would need to overcome are interoperability, the language barrier, command and control, and communications,” Patel said.
It is unknown how increased North Korean involvement might impact relations between Russia and the West.
Recently, US President-elect Donald Trump reportedly warned Russian President Vladimir Putin against any escalation of the ongoing conflict. The soon-to-be 47th US leader has promised to push for peace in the region, causing concern among some European Union leaders that Ukraine may end up with a sub-standard deal.
This, they have argued, could put the security of both Ukraine and other countries bordering Russia at risk in future.
COMMENT: European elites fear a second Trump term could end U.S. military support, exposing the EU's weak defence. With social spending prioritised over security, Europe may face tough choices ahead, writes @Jay_Conz. https://t.co/ErM6LqrIO4
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) November 5, 2024
