Nearly 11,000 North Korean soldiers are currently training in eastern Russia to prepare for deployment to Ukraine, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate chief Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview with The War Zone on October 17.
According to Budanov, these troops will be ready to join the war by November 1.
The North Korean forces are reportedly being equipped with Russian weapons and ammunition. The first group, consisting of 2,600 soldiers, is expected to be sent to Kursk region, area where Ukraine has been holding Russian ground for months.
The destination of the remaining troops remains unclear.
This follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s statement earlier in Brussels, where he confirmed that approximately 10,000 North Korean troops are preparing to fight against Ukraine.
Earlier, 18 servicemen from North Korea have already fled their positions on the border between the Bryansk and Kursk regions of Russia.
