Ukraine’s defense intelligence service says the first North Korean soldiers have arrived in Russia’s western region of Kursk. The Ukrainian military has been conducting cross-border attacks in the region.
The intelligence agency said in a social media post on Thursday that the North Korean soldiers had been seen in the region on the previous day.
The agency did not disclose how many of them are in Kursk. But it said North Korean troops have been receiving training at five military facilities in Russia’s Far East, including Ussuriysk and Sergeevka.
The agency noted that about 12,000 North Korean military personnel are now in Russia, including three generals and 500 officers.
It said Moscow appointed Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, Russia’s deputy defense minister, to oversee their training.
The agency mocked the provision of supplies to the North Korean soldiers, saying that along with ammunition and winter clothing, they would each receive 50 meters of toilet paper and 300 grams of soap every month.
It added that the Kremlin has high expectations for the troops in the war against Ukraine.
Concerns are growing that if North Korean troops become involved in the fighting between Ukraine and Russia, this may further complicate the situation and escalate the conflict.