Six officers from North Korea were among the 20 soldiers killed in a Ukrainian missile strike on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk, intelligence sources say.
Kyiv Post sources fluent in Korean have confirmed that the language, with an accent atypical in the South, was spoken in two videos alleging Pyongyang troops’ presence in Russia.
By
Kyiv Post
Oct. 19
Ukraine and South Korea both claimed in mid-October that Pyongyang had deployed troops to aid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, likely as a result of a mutual defense pact signed in June.
In early October, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence (HUR) claimed that Pyongyang had deployed troops to reinforce Moscow’s troops in Ukraine. In addition, media reports, citing HUR, claimed that six North Korean officers had been killed in a missile strike, with 18 more Pyongyang troops having allegedly deserted their positions near Ukraine.
HUR Chief Kyrylo Budanov said Oct. 18 that Pyongyang was preparing to send 11,000 troops to aid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Following the reports, Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) issued satellite images alleging North Korean troops in Russia’s Far East prior to their deployments in Ukraine. Videos circulating on social media around the time also depicted Korean-speaking soldiers in a Russian military base.
In an intercepted call, a Russian soldier expressed doubts about North Korean troops’ integration: “One translator for 30 soldiers? Where will we find three senior personnel for them?”
Though North Korean troops may soon bolster Russian forces in Kursk, analysts doubt their impact as Moscow faces manpower shortages and high casualties.
The US defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, said Tuesday that the US is “seeing evidence” that Pyongyang has deployed troops to Russia, but that their roles and purposes remain unclear.
Additionally, South Korea is set to review its longstanding ban on exporting lethal aid to a country at war which means it could supply defensive arms to Ukraine.
Seoul's spy agency said Friday that Pyongyang sent a "large-scale" troop deployment to help its ally, claiming that 1,500 special forces were already training in Russia's Far East.
The leading missile developer was part of Kim Jong-un’s team during the September 2023 summit with Russia. His presence in Ukraine is likely to analyze the performance of Pyongyang’s KN-23 missile.
Russia’s ambassador to Seoul got called in for a talking-to with suggestions South Korea would review its longstanding ban on exporting lethal aid to Ukraine, a country at war.
The 18 North Korean soldiers who had fled from positions in the Kursk region were detained and relocated to participate in assault operations against Ukrainian troops, HUR reports.
Approximately 1,500 North Korean special forces are already in Russia, getting acclimated and expected to head to the front lines soon, South Korea's intelligence agency reported on Friday.
Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) provided evidence on Friday of what it said were North Korean troops’ deployments to Russia before participating in the war in Ukraine.
Kyiv Post sources fluent in Korean have confirmed that the language, with an accent atypical in the South, was spoken in two videos alleging Pyongyang troops’ presence in Russia.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has released a series of satellite imageries and information pertaining to the alleged North Korean troops’ presence in Russia.
A Ukrainian news outlet citing intelligence sources says the servicemen left their positions on the border between the Bryansk and Kursk regions of Russia.
In an intercepted call, a Russian soldier expressed doubts about North Korean troops’ integration: “One translator for 30 soldiers? Where will we find three senior personnel for them?”
![[VIDEOS] North Korean Troops in Russia Confirmed](https://static.kyivpost.com/storage/2024/10/19/a6f6a4c5d74d066019e5812a20c6514f.png?w=420&q=75&f=webp)
![[VIDEOS] North Korean Troops in Russia Confirmed](https://static.kyivpost.com/storage/2024/10/19/a6f6a4c5d74d066019e5812a20c6514f.png?w=420&q=85&f=webp)
![[PHOTOS] Seoul’s Spy Agency Reveals Evidence of North Korean Troops in Russia](https://static.kyivpost.com/storage/2024/10/18/d899ab8c31cec236d94df92f8955886e.png?w=420&q=85&f=webp)
