SEOUL: The first units of North Korean troops trained in Russia have been deployed to the Kursk region, the Russian border region where Ukrainian forces staged a major incursion in August, Ukraine’s military intelligence service said this week.
The United States, along with Ukraine and South Korea, has accused North Korea of ​​sending troops to aid Russia in the war in Ukraine, estimated to number in the thousands.
The Kremlin has previously dismissed reports about North Korean troop deployments as “fake news.” But Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday did not deny that North Korean troops are currently in Russia and said it is Moscow’s task to work out how to implement a partnership treaty with Pyongyang.
Here’s what we know so far:
What are the reports?
The Ukrainian intelligence agency said a total of about 12,000 North Korean troops, including 500 officers and three generals, are already in Russia, and training is taking place at five military bases.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said North Korea had previously deployed officers to Russian-occupied territory within Ukraine.
“I think they sent officers first to assess the situation before deploying troops,” Zelensky told reporters.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) said it had tracked about 3,000 troops, including special forces, who were sent by Russian naval ships to military bases in the country’s Far East for training and adaptation, potentially to be deployed for combat in the war.
The South also said it had used AI facial recognition technology to identify a delegation of dozens of North Korean officials who visited border areas in Ukraine to provide guidance on North Korean-made KN-23 ballistic missiles fired at targets there.
The delegation included a key figure in North Korea’s missile development, identified by analysts at Seoul-based NK Pro as Ri Song Jin, who was seen in photographs last year visiting missile-making factories with leader Kim Jong Un.
It said the soldiers have been given Russian military uniforms, weapons and false identity documents before being deployed for combat.
Why would North Korea help Russia?
Putin has said he signed a treaty with Kim Jong Un during a visit to Pyongyang in June that included a mutual assistance clause to help each other fend off external aggression.
Analysts say North Korea could benefit from providing arms and troops by gaining experience and insight from operations on the battlefield.
Pyongyang, which faces heavy sanctions for its nuclear weapons program, also receives large imports of oil and other products from Russia, according to commercial satellite imagery examined by foreign intelligence agencies and analysts.
A report by a think tank affiliated with South Korea’s NIS estimated that cash-strapped North Korea earned about $540 million last year selling weapons to Russia.
What was the reaction to this?
A North Korean representative to the United Nations in New York described the reports as “groundless rumors.”
On Monday, South Korea said it opposed the deployment of Russia’s ambassador.
Seoul has also said it is considering phased countermeasures, including possible changes to its stance against directly providing arms to Ukraine.
Germany and Austria on Wednesday summoned North Korea’s top envoys to their countries to register their concerns.
The leaders of Britain and Finland have said Russia’s use of North Korean troops would be a sign of desperation.
China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday it was not aware of North Korean troops being in Russia and hoped “all parties will work to de-escalate the situation and commit themselves to a political solution” in Ukraine.
What challenges do North Korean troops pose for Ukraine?
South Korea, Ukraine, the United States and independent researchers say Russia has fired dozens of North Korean-made ballistic missiles and has found a large number of artillery shells and anti-tank rockets.
Military analysts say there are questions about how Russia will engage North Korean troops on the ground, and like weapons, the deployment of troops is unlikely to be a major game changer but could help prolong the conflict.
“With Russia’s combat zone having expanded substantially, and Ukrainian forces also moving into Russian territory, North Korean troops could play a role in defending against such invasions,” said Kim Yong-hyun of South Korea’s Dongguk University. “While North Korea’s involvement may not be decisive for Russia, it could still provide meaningful support.”
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