Ukraine confirms fighting North Korean soldiers at Russian front: Seoul state media

Ukraine has confirmed that its soldiers engaged in the first battle with North Korean troops that was reportedly sent by its leader Kim Jong Un to aid Russian forces in the ongoing war. South Korea’s public broadcaster KBS quoted Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on Tuesday as saying this.

Umerov reportedly confirmed that the Ukrainian military has engaged for the first time with North Korean troops in an interview with KBS. He said that a “small-scale” engagement took place on Monday.

Umerov did not give much details about when and where the fighting took place. The defence minister, however, said about 3,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed in the northeast, east and southeast locations on a 1,500-km-long front line.

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He reportedly also said the military engagement could be considered as the official entry of North Korean in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s defence ministry said that more than 10,000 North Korean troops have arrived in Russia to support its war against Ukraine, with a “significant number” in the frontline areas including Kursk.

The remarks came hours after the Pentagon said that there were at least 10,000 North Korean soldiers in Kursk, near the Ukraine border, but could not corroborate reports that they were engaged in combat.

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Ukraine’s intelligence agency has also said that about 12,000 North Korean troops, including 500 officers and three generals, were already in Russia, with training taking place at five military bases.

“We understand that more than 10,000 North Korean troops are currently in Russia, and a significant number of them have moved to the frontline areas including Kursk,” Jeon Ha-kyou, a spokesperson for Seoul’s defence ministry, told a briefing, citing intelligence authorities.

But Jeon said he had no information when asked whether the North Koreans were engaged in combat, and about a South Korean media report citing an unnamed government official that as many as 40 North Korean troops had been killed on the battlefield.

(With inputs from agencies)