Ukrainian Armed Forces confute claims of North Korean military presence in Kharkiv region
Illustrative photo: The Ukrainian Armed Forces denied the presence of the DPRK military in Kharkiv region (Getty Images)
The information that North Korean soldiers were spotted in Kharkiv region is not true. These rumors were spread by an unofficial source, according to the Kharkiv Operational Tactical Group (OTG).
According to the military, the person who is the primary source of this information is not an official spokesperson for the Kharkiv OTG and was commenting on the operational situation outside the scope of authority.
“We urge media representatives and the public to operate with the messages that are publicized on the official communication channels of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” the statement said.
The Kharkiv OTG also stated that the situation in the region has not significantly changed, and the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold off Russian forces.
What preceded it
Earlier, the head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Andriy Kovalenko, and the commander of the combined unit of the 153rd Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Nazarii Kishak, reported that Russia had moved part of the North Korean military to the border areas of Belgorod region. They also stated that North Korean soldiers had been spotted in the Kharkiv region.
It was previously reported in early autumn that North Korea had sent several thousand of its soldiers to Russia. These soldiers had undergone training at training grounds in the Russian Far East and were subsequently deployed.
According to Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, North Korea is seeking to acquire military technologies from Russia in exchange for sending soldiers. This includes technologies related to missile and nuclear programs, among others.
