Are North Korean soldiers about to deploy to Ukraine? According to Secretary of State Blinken, the USA assumes this. 8,000 soldiers are already in the Russian border region of Kursk.
According to the US government, around 8,000 North Korean soldiers have now arrived in the Russian border region of Kursk and are ready for combat operations against Ukrainian units. “We now estimate that there are a total of approximately 10,000 North Korean troops in Russia, and according to the latest information, up to 8,000 of these North Korean forces have been stationed in the Kursk region,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Although the US government has not yet seen any combat operations by the North Koreans against Ukrainian forces, “we assume that this will happen in the next few days,” Blinken continued. Russia trained North Korean soldiers for artillery battles and basic infantry operations. If they actually intervene in the war, they would be legitimate targets and could also be fired upon by Ukraine.
The area of deployment of the troops is still unclear
Blinken said it was the first time in 100 years that Russia had invited foreign troops to its country. It is unclear whether the North Korean soldiers could be used for combat operations on Ukrainian territory or should fight in Ukrainian-occupied areas in Russia. According to UN diplomats, it is also possible that the North Koreans could be deployed behind the front and take on logistical tasks there, for example.
North Korean Troops in Russian uniforms
South Korean intelligence had previously announced that North Korean troops in Russia were supposed to wear Russian uniforms and were given false identities to conceal their true origins. Russian President Vladimir Putin does not deny the presence of North Korean soldiers and points out that Ukraine also relies on personnel from NATO countries.
A few days ago, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte described military cooperation between Russia and North Korea as a “threat to Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security.”
