Ukrainian officials announced that North Korean troops deployed to support Russia’s invasion are being transported to the front lines in Russian civilian trucks. They were expected to be engaged in combat zones Sunday or Monday.
According to local media outlet The Kyiv Independent, citing the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (HUR), intercepted audio revealed that Russian police stopped a Russian-made Kamaz truck with civilian license plates on the Kursk-Voronezh highway in mainland Russia.
This report follows disclosures from the United States and Ukraine that North Korean special forces are moving to Kursk Oblast to support Russian troops against Ukrainian forces in the ongoing conflict.
The audio file discussed how Russian police halted the driver for lacking combat order documents. At the same time, officers from the 810th Independent Marine Brigade of the 18th Army of the Russian Southern Military District attempted to resolve the matter. The 810th Brigade is currently involved in the battle for Kursk Oblast, where Ukrainian forces have advanced and occupied certain areas since August 6.
In addition, AP News reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in a Telegram post that Ukrainian intelligence agencies believe “the first North Korean military will be used by Russia in combat zones between Sunday and Monday.”
According to AP, while Zelenskyy characterized the North Korean troop deployment as a clear escalation by Russia, he did not specify which front the North Korean forces would be assigned.
Zelenskyy remarked via X (formerly Twitter) that the Russian regime is increasingly bringing North Korea in as an ally to sustain its invasion, predicting that “… and in a matter of days, North Korean soldiers may join the battlefield against Ukraine.” He added, “Ukraine could soon be forced to fight North Korean troops in Europe,” and cautioned that “These are the conditions we face, where a lack of stronger decisions from our partners to support Ukraine only encourages Putin to invest further in terror.”
Despite previous denials from Russia and North Korea regarding the deployment of North Korean troops to the Ukraine war, both nations have recently shifted toward justifying such actions.
Speaking at the close of the BRICS summit in Kazan on October 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin indirectly acknowledged the deployment of North Korean troops when asked about satellite images capturing their presence, stating, “If there are photos, they must reflect something.” He referenced the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed during the North Korea-Russia summit in June, which stipulates that if one party is in a state of war, the other must provide military assistance.
On October 25, via Korean Central News Agency commentary, Kim Jeong Gyu, North Korea’s vice foreign minister for Russian affairs, effectively confirmed the deployment, stating, “If there is such a thing that the world media is talking about, I think it will be an act conforming to the regulations of international law.”
The precise number of North Korean troops deployed to the battlefield remains unclear, leading to conflicting reports. The United States estimates that approximately 3,000 North Korean soldiers are training in Russia, with John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor, suggesting the number could be higher. The New York Times reported on October 25 that “as many as 5,000 North Korean troops were expected to have mustered by October 28.”
South Korean intelligence authorities reported to the National Assembly that the number of North Korean troops stationed in Russia could reach 10,000 by December. Ukrainian sources claim that North Korea has dispatched about 12,000 troops to Russia, including 500 officers and 3 generals. Kyodo News reported that Ukrainian authorities obtained a list of North Korean military officers sent to Russia, with Kim Young-bok at the top. While the exact date of Deputy Chief of Staff Kim Young Bok’s entry into Russia is unknown, the news agency reported that his presence in Russia was confirmed as of October 24.
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