Zelenskyy listened to Syrskyi’s report: First military personnel of DPRK will enter combat zones already on October 27-28
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy listened to the report of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi about the situation at the front and the Kursk region, in particular about Russia's involvement of troops from North Korea in the war against Ukraine.
Zelenskyy announced this on Telegram, Censor.NET informs.
"Report of Chief of Staff of Syrskyi. The situation at the front is now, special attention is paid to the Pokrovske, Kurakhove, and Lyman directions. It is difficult in the Donetsk region, but our combat brigades are holding their positions and doing everything possible to destroy the occupier," he noted.
Syrskyi also reported on the operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region.
"We are implementing our tasks. The buffer zone on Russian territory protects Ukraine from Russian attempts to expand the war in the east of our state and ensures significant Russian losses. The commander-in-chief reported on the performance of tasks by our units in certain areas of the Kursk region," Zelenskyy said.
The head also reported on Russia's involvement of troops from North Korea.
According to intelligence information, as early as October 27-28, the first North Korean military will be deployed by Russia in combat zones. This is an obvious escalating step by Russia, which is significant, in contrast to all the disinformation that has been heard a lot in Kazan these days," the president said.
The head of state emphasized that the world can clearly see what Russia really wants, and that is the continuation of the war.
"This is why a principled and strong reaction by world leaders is needed. The actual involvement of North Korea in hostilities should not be met with closed eyes and confused comments, but with tangible pressure on both Moscow and Pyongyang to comply with the UN Charter and punish escalation," added Zelenskyy.
DPRK Military Participation in Russia's War Against Ukraine
On 17 October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia was training ten thousand North Korean troops for the war in Ukraine, including infantry.
Earlier, the Washington Post wrote that several thousand soldiers from the DPRK are undergoing training in Russia and may be sent to the frontline in Ukraine.
In early October, South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun said that the DPRK could send its military to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in support of Russia's war against our country.
The head of the Centre for Countering Disinformation, Andrii Kovalenko, said that the information about Russia's alleged preparation of soldiers from the DPRK to be sent to the frontline in Ukraine is not true.
On 15 October, the media reported that based on the 11th separate airborne assault brigade of the Russian occupation army, Russians began to form a so-called "special Buryat battalion". It will be staffed by North Korean citizens.
Later, the head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, said that almost 11,000 soldiers from North Korea are currently training in eastern Russia to fight against Ukraine. They will be ready for combat as early as 1 November.
At the same time, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said that the United States has not yet confirmed that North Korea has sent troops to Russia.
South Korea summons Russia's ambassador to Seoul over the DPRK's involvement in the war against Ukraine.
It was reported that eighteen North Korean soldiers had already escaped from the Russian army positions on the border of Ukraine with the Bryansk and Kursk regions. Later it became known that they had been detained.
South Korea's Permanent Representative to the UN Security Council, Jongkook Hwang, said that Russia could pay for the participation of North Korea's military in the war against Ukraine with nuclear weapons technology.
And The Guardian wrote that Russia could send North Korean troops to capture Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region or to conduct winter assaults on other important areas on Ukraine's eastern front.
Later, the Pentagon confirmed that the DPRK military had arrived in Russia.
