Ukrainian forces target North Korean troops in Kursk region
The Ukrainian army has attacked North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia's Kursk region for the first time, reported Andriy Kovalenko, a representative of the Kyiv authorities, as quoted by the Polish Press Agency on Monday.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Centre for Counteracting Disinformation at the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, stated on his Telegram channel that the first DPRK military personnel have already come under fire in the Kursk region. However, he did not provide further details regarding this operation.
The presence of North Korean forces in Russia is causing growing concern in Kyiv. Last Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to Western allies to take action regarding North Korean troops in Russia before they began engaging Ukrainian soldiers. He emphasized that Ukraine has identified all deployment sites of these forces but has yet to receive the long-range weapons from allies needed to attack them.
On 31 October, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that there are around 10,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia, with 8,000 stationed in the Kursk region. This region is where Ukrainian forces began their offensive in August this year.
North Korean soldiers support Russia
Reports of North Korean soldiers in Russia have appeared since mid-October. TVP Info, citing Ukrainian intelligence reports, indicates that in the last week of October, Russia transferred over 7,000 soldiers from North Korea to positions near Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also confirmed that soldiers sent by Kim Jong Un have been deployed in Russia's Kursk region. During a visit to Russia, north Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui assured that her country would fulfill the strategic partnership agreement and support Russia in the war.
Officially, there has been no response regarding the presence or involvement of North Korean soldiers in combat operations.
