U.S. reports indicate that around 3,000 North Korean soldiers are in Russia for training before their deployment to combat zones in Ukraine. On Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed North Korean forces’ presence while emphasizing the need for further research to understand their operations. He said, “There is evidence that there are North Korean troops in Russia. What exactly they are doing? Left to be seen.”
South Korea’s NIS reported that 1,500 more North Korean soldiers arrived in Russia, increasing the total to 3,000 troops. South Korean lawmakers anticipate that North Korea will deploy about 10,000 troops to Russia by December. After training indications in North Korea in September and October, officials have spread these soldiers around numerous Russian training camps.
In addition to troops, the NIS previously reported that North Korea has supplied over 13,000 containers of artillery, missiles, and other arms to Russia since August 2023. North Korea is allegedly planning to send troops to support Russia, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has called for international intervention.
By calling the stories of the army deployment false news, North Korean officials have tried to stop them from spreading. Russia, however, has refuted the accusations, claiming they are baseless and untrue. To quell speculations about their deployment, officials moved North Korean troops’ families, according to South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-Kwon. “There are also signs of North Korean authorities relocating and isolating those families in a certain place in order to effectively control them,” he said.
Russia has reportedly hired translators for North Korean soldiers and taught them how to utilize sophisticated military equipment. Despite pointing out a lack of understanding in modern fighting methods, Russian instructors praised the North Korean military’s physical prowess and will.
As tensions increased, Germany summoned North Korea’s ambassador to address Pyongyang’s continued support for Russia’s military actions. As tensions rose in the region, South Korea demanded the immediate withdrawal of North Korean personnel from Russia. Authorities stated that if matters worsened further, they may consider sending Ukraine lethal weapons.
