DPRK sends another 8,500 troops to Russia, including UAV operators for strikes on Ukraine – DIU
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence said that North Korea had sent a new military contingent of 8,500 personnel to Russia.
Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, told CNN this, according to Censor.NET.
UAV operators
According to Skibitskyi, 400 members of the contingent are UAV operators.
The DIU added that the North Korean troops are mostly dispersed across Russia’s Kursk region and include 1,000 engineers and sappers. Ukrainian intelligence also expects the North Koreans to use strike drones against targets in Ukraine.
DPRK troops have already fought on Russia’s side
In 2024, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that, among other provisions, provides for mutual military assistance.
Since autumn 2024, more than 14,000 North Korean military personnel have participated in combat alongside Russian forces against Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk region.
- Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia had received additional ballistic missiles from North Korea and also spoke about the possible deployment of new DPRK military units in Russia.
