Zelensky: "A 'Significant Number' of North Korean Troops Deployed in Russia's Western Kursk Operation"

Riganet "Training with Soviet weapons... casualties occurred"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on the 14th (local time) that "Russia has begun deploying a 'significant number' of North Korean troops to drive our forces out of the Kursk region in western Russia."

In his regular address that day, President Zelensky said, "Russia is integrating North Korean troops into its units and deploying them in operations within Kursk, and currently, North Korean troops are only stationed in operations within Kursk."

He added that the deployment of North Korean troops by the Russian military marks a new phase of heightened tension in the 34-month-long war, emphasizing, "We will fight against any threats, including those involving North Korean troops."

He also mentioned that he will attend a meeting on the 18th in Brussels, Belgium, where NATO member countries and European Union (EU) leaders will gather, and "appeal for increased support from Western allies."

Ukrainian local media Liganet also reported that "North Korean troops are participating in combat wearing Russian military uniforms in the Kursk region." According to Liganet, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the 'Disinformation Response Center' under Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, described the North Korean troops as "infantry trained with Soviet-made weapons" and claimed that casualties have already occurred in combat.

AP Yonhap News

It is currently known that more than 11,000 North Korean troops are deployed in Kursk. This is not the first time Ukraine has confirmed North Korean troop involvement. On the 25th of last month, Anatoliy Barilevych, Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, also revealed that there had been clashes with some North Korean troops. President Zelensky's mention of a 'significant number' suggests that the scale of North Korean troop deployment by Russia has grown larger than the previously confirmed sporadic small-scale participation.

Meanwhile, claims have also been made that North Korean troops caused casualties among Russian forces due to friendly fire. The Ukrainian daily Kyiv Post, citing the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), reported that "North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces in Kursk mistakenly fired on Russian soldiers, killing eight." HUR speculated that this incident was likely due to language barrier issues that have been pointed out since the initial deployment of North Korean troops.

HUR also claimed that Russia is taking special measures in areas where North Korean troops are deployed, such as confiscating and censoring Russian soldiers' mobile phones. However, Kyiv Post noted that it was unable to independently verify HUR's claims.

Earlier, President Zelensky also stated that North Korean troops have begun to suffer noticeable losses but did not provide specific figures.