North Korea sends 12,000 troops to Ukraine, South Korea says

There are increasing indications that North Korean soldiers are being trained in Russia to support Russian troops in Ukraine. According to the South Korean intelligence service NIS, an initial group of 1,500 soldiers was transferred to Russia.

They are said to be members of an elite unit that was sent to military bases in the east of the country on a Russian Navy transport ship between October 8 and 13. Satellite images from the NIS reportedly show soldiers from North Korea at military bases in Vladivostok and Usurisk, among others.

According to NIS, North Korea plans to send about 12,000 soldiers to Ukraine to help Russia in the war. If the information is correct, this is the first time that North Korean troops have been active on European soil.

According to the intelligence service, North Korean soldiers would receive Russian uniforms and IDs from Siberian regions such as Yakutia and Buryatia. The local population in Siberia and the population in North Korea share some physical characteristics.

It is not clear where the troops should be deployed. Head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service Budanov said yesterday that North Korean troops will be ready to fight on the territory of​​​​​​Ukraine on November 1.

A spokesman for South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol says that the movements of the forces “pose a serious threat” to South Korea and the entire international community.

According to Ukrainian President Zelensky, there is no doubt that North Korea will be more involved in the war. “It’s not just about giving weapons anymore. It’s now even about moving people from North Korea to the areas where people live,” he said. Monday. North Korea has not responded to the statements.

Ukraine has often accused Russia of sending North Korean troops into the war. Earlier this month the Independent Kyiv that six North Korean officers were killed in the residential area of ​​Luhansk.

This week, the Ukrainian media wrote about a group of North Korean defectors. The soldiers are said to have left their posts in the Russian regions of Bryansk and Kursk.

Ukraine’s allies have long been concerned about the close cooperation between Russia and North Korea. During a visit in June, Russian President Putin signed one ‘strategic partnership’ by North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

Since the start of the war, there have been strong suspicions that Kim is supplying weapons and ballistic missiles to Russia on a large scale. The United States and Ukraine say they are too put to use on the battlefield. North Korea and Russia have always disputed the reports.