Ukrainian forces engage in the first clash with North Korean troops - Defense Minister
Photo: Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov (Getty Images)
Ukrainian forces already participated in a small-scale clash with North Korean soldiers who had been transferred to Russia, as Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said in an interview with KBS.
He notes that such a clash can be seen as the official beginning of North Korea's participation in the war against Ukraine.
Umerov clarifies that the participation of North Korean soldiers in the fighting is not yet systematic.
Since the North Korean troops were disguised as Buryats and mixed with the Russian troops, the exact number of casualties and prisoners of war needs to be verified before making accurate statements.
“We are recording contacts with North Korean forces, but we believe that there will be more clashes in a few weeks, and we will analyze and consider them accordingly,” the official emphasized.
Five North Korean battalions, each with about 3,000 soldiers, will operate on the front, which is about 1,500 km long. Hence, the number of North Koreans in the Kursk region may increase to 15,000.
“The timeline for the Russian exercises was a month, but now it has been reduced to a few days or a week so that North Korean troops can take part in combat operations,” Umerov added.
DPRK soldiers in Russia
Just yesterday, on November 4, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 11,000 North Korean soldiers were already in the Kursk region.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said yesterday that the North Koreans could start fighting against the Ukrainian military “in the coming days.”
To date, there has been no official information about clashes between Ukrainian troops and DPRK soldiers.
