2,000 North Korean Troops Led by 3 Generals Join Russians Against Ukraine – Intel

Two thousand North Korean soldiers have joined Russian units, being deployed with a Marine Brigade and an Airborne Division to actively engage in combat, with another 9,000 more in reserve.

Andriy Chernyak, a representative of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR), told Radio Svoboda that while these forces are likely not on the front lines, they still contribute to the aggression against Ukraine, assisting in the killing of Ukrainian soldiers.

“Perhaps they are not on the front line. Perhaps they are not on the advanced positions, but they still contribute to the aggression against Ukraine and the killing of Ukrainian service members,” Chernyak said.

According to HUR, the North Korean military contingent in Russia is commanded by three DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of [North] Korea) generals.

“They are kept as secret as possible, guarded as much as possible. They are in closed camps, undergoing training, but they are being hidden from everyone,” Chernyak explained.

According to the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) General Staff, over 11,000 North Korean soldiers are currently in Russia’s Kursk region. The General Staff head confirmed that the Russian command has already involved North Korean troops in battles against Ukrainian forces.

Ukraine and South Korea both claimed in mid-October that Pyongyang had deployed troops to aid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, likely as a result of a mutual defense pact signed in June.

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In early October, HUR claimed that Pyongyang had deployed troops to reinforce Moscow’s troops in Ukraine. In addition, Kyiv Post reported, citing HUR, that six North Korean officers had been killed in a missile strike, with 18 more Pyongyang troops having allegedly deserted their positions near Ukraine.

HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov said on Oct. 18 that Pyongyang was preparing to send 11,000 troops to aid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Following the reports, Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) issued satellite images alleging North Korean troops in Russia’s Far East before their deployments in Ukraine. Videos circulating on social media around the time also depicted Korean-speaking soldiers in a Russian military base.