Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has received intelligence indicating that Russia plans to deploy North Korean troops to the battlefield starting from October 27-28. In a recent Telegram update following a report to the Supreme Commander, Zelensky stated, “According to intelligence, the first units of the North Korean army will be used by Russia in the conflict zone on the 27th and 28th.”
In response to this potential escalation, Zelensky is urging allies to exert “concrete pressure” on both Moscow and Pyongyang.
On October 24, Ukraine reported that North Korean forces have already arrived in the Russian border region of Kursk. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not denied these claims regarding the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russia.
Back in June, Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a joint defense agreement, leading to widespread speculation that North Korea had been supporting Russia with arms in its offensive in Ukraine. If North Korean troops are actively engaged in combat, it would signify a marked escalation in the ongoing conflict.
Additionally, according to reports from the Korea Herald, South Korea has traditionally refrained from providing lethal weapons to Ukraine. However, President Yoon Suk-yeol announced on October 24 that should North Korea send special forces to aid Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, South Korea would consider phased assistance to Ukraine, exploring necessary measures to ensure the security of the Korean Peninsula.
As the war in Ukraine stretches into its third year, Ukrainian forces made a significant incursion into Russia’s Kursk region from northeastern Ukraine on August 6, catching Moscow off guard and significantly boosting the morale of the Ukrainian populace.
