Ukrainian forces have reportedly encountered North Korean troops for the first time since their recent deployment to support Russia in its conflict with Ukraine, as stated by Ukraine’s Defence Minister on Tuesday.
An official from Kyiv added that Ukrainian artillery targeted North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk border region.
These statements mark the first official acknowledgement of combat between Ukrainian and North Korean forces, introducing a new dynamic to the war as it nears its 1,000-day mark. Independent verification of these claims remains pending.
Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Rustem Umerov, described the skirmishes as “small-scale” engagements, signalling the beginning of North Korea’s direct involvement in Europe’s most significant conflict since the Second World War. Umerov told South Korea’s public broadcaster KBS that North Korean soldiers, mingled with Russian troops and were misidentified by their uniforms, making it challenging to confirm any North Korean casualties.
Umerov anticipates deploying five North Korean units, each comprising approximately 3,000 soldiers, to the Kursk area.
Simultaneously, Andrii Kovalenko, head of the counter-disinformation branch of Ukraine’s Security Council, confirmed that “the first North Korean troops have already been shelled in the Kursk region,” but offered no further specifics.
Western governments had anticipated the dispatch of North Korean troops to Russia’s Kursk border region, where a three-month-old Ukrainian incursion marks the first occupation of Russian territory since World War II, much to the Kremlin’s chagrin.
Intelligence from the U.S., South Korea, and Ukraine indicates that Pyongyang is sending up to 12,000 North Korean combat troops under an agreement with Moscow. The Pentagon reported on Monday that at least 10,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed in Russia near Ukraine’s border.
Further analysis by the European Council on Foreign Relations, an international think tank, suggested on Tuesday that more troops from North Korea’s 1.3 million-strong army might be slated for deployment in Russia. The analysis noted the broader implications of this move.
The UK Defence Ministry reported on Tuesday via social media platform X that Russia’s recent gains include advances of up to nine kilometres in some parts of Donetsk, citing superior troop numbers and a continuous influx of new recruits despite heavy casualties.
Russia has maintained the battlefield initiative in Ukraine over the past year, with Ukrainian officials frequently expressing frustration over the slow pace of Western military support.
In early October, Russian forces expelled Ukrainian troops from Vuhledar, a strategically located town in eastern Ukraine. This area is part of a crucial Ukrainian defence belt, with Russia likely targeting the logistics hub of Pokrovsk and the strategically important city of Chasiv Yar next.
Frances Ibiefo
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