North Korean Troops Gather in Russia's Kursk... Combat Participation Not Yet Confirmed

US and Ukrainian Officials Say "Role Unclear"

The North Korean military has reportedly gathered in Kursk, a major battleground on Russian soil, according to the American daily The New York Times (NYT) on the 25th (local time).

The Ukrainian Military Strategic Communication and Information Security Center (SPRAVDI) released a video showing North Korean troops receiving supplies from Russia.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

NYT cited one anonymous Ukrainian government official and two U.S. officials, reporting that thousands of North Korean troops began arriving in Kursk on the 23rd. The North Korean forces have not yet engaged in combat, and their role remains unclear.

A Ukrainian official stated that the North Korean troops traveled from Vladivostok to a military airfield in western Russia aboard a Russian Air Force Ilyushin Il-62M aircraft.

John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Coordinator, said during a briefing on the 25th that some of the North Korean troops stationed at training facilities in eastern Russia are likely to be dispatched to Kursk, but the purpose of their deployment is unclear.

Earlier, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced that North Korean troops were spotted in Kursk on the 23rd. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expects the North Korean forces to be deployed to the combat zone around the 27th to 28th.