Source: South Korean intelligence service NIS

There are increasing indications that North Korean soldiers are being trained in Russia to support Russian troops in Ukraine. According to the South Korean intelligence service NIS, a first group of 1,500 soldiers has been moved to Russia.

These are said to be members of an elite unit who were sent to military bases in the far east of the country on a Russian Navy transport ship between October 8 and 13. Released satellite images from the NIS allegedly show North Korean soldiers at army bases in Vladivostok and Usurisk, among others.

According to NIS, North Korea plans to send around 12,000 troops to Ukraine to assist Russia in the war. If the information is correct, it will be the first time that North Korean troops have been active on European soil.

According to the intelligence service, North Korean soldiers would be provided with Russian uniforms and IDs from Siberian regions such as Yakutia and Buryatia. The local population in Siberia partly has similar physical characteristics as the population in North Korea.

It is unclear where the soldiers should be deployed. The head of Ukrainian military intelligence Budanov stated yesterday that North Korean troops will be ready to fight on Ukrainian territory on November 1.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un observes a military exercise

A spokesperson for South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol calls the troop movements "a serious threat" to South Korea and the entire international community. According to Ukrainian President Zelensky, there is no doubt that North Korea will become more involved in the war. "It's not just about supplying weapons anymore. It's now even about moving people from North Korea to the occupied territories," he said on Monday. The Kremlin and North Korea have not responded to the statements.

Ukraine has often accused Russia of deploying North Korean soldiers in the war. Earlier this month, the Kyiv Independent wrote that six North Korean officers had been killed in the occupied Luhansk region. This week, Ukrainian media wrote about a group of North Korean deserters. The soldiers are said to have left their positions in the Russian regions of Bryansk and Kursk.

Allies of Ukraine have long been concerned about the close cooperation between Russia and North Korea. During a visit in June, Russian President Putin signed a 'strategic partnership' with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. Since the start of the war, there have been strong suspicions that Kim is supplying munitions and ballistic missiles to Russia on a large scale. The United States and Ukraine say they have also been deployed on the battlefield. North Korea and Russia have always contradicted the reports.

* grobi