For the first time, Ukrainian forces have reportedly engaged North Korean troops who were recently deployed to support Russia in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine. According to U.S. officials cited by Reuters, North Korean soldiers took part in combat on November 4 in Russia’s Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed this encounter in an interview with South Korean broadcaster KBS, marking North Korea’s direct involvement in the conflict and a new escalation in the nearly three-year war.
U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not provide details about the engagement, including any potential casualties on the North Korean side. Umerov noted that North Korean soldiers are mixed among Russian units and wear uniforms that make it difficult to distinguish them from Russian troops. This complicates efforts to verify specific North Korean losses or track their deployment.
The arrival of North Korean forces in Russia was first confirmed in early November, when reports indicated that approximately 15,000 North Korean soldiers were expected to deploy to assist Russian forces along the Ukrainian border. Umerov stated that around five North Korean units, each comprising roughly 3,000 soldiers, are likely positioned near Kursk. He added that Ukrainian artillery had been fired at North Korean troops in recent days, a claim that remains unverified by independent sources.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the development on Tuesday, describing the initial skirmishes with North Korean forces as “a new page in instability in the world.” He emphasized that the conflict’s expansion to include foreign fighters from North Korea underscores the growing international dimensions of the war.
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