The Russian command has gathered 50,000 soldiers, including military personnel from North Korea, for a counteroffensive in the Kursk region.
This was reported by The New York Times.
The war between Ukraine and North Korea on Russian territory: why nowThe involvement of the North Korean army in the Russian-Ukrainian war has been discussed in recent weeks. From Moscow's perspective, there is a formal reason for such involvement – the presence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region.Journalists, citing American and Ukrainian officials, note that Russian troops in the Kursk region are preparing to launch an offensive. The enemy has amassed forces without withdrawing soldiers from eastern Ukraine. In particular, they are preparing North Korean military personnel for combat operations.
Russia is training North Korean soldiers in artillery fire, basic infantry tactics, and trench clearing. Ukrainian sources indicate that North Korean forces have been divided into two groups – an assault unit and a support unit. An attack in the Kursk region is expected soon.
“It will be difficult to displace Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region, and that Russian and North Korean forces are likely to suffer serious losses similar to those of the occupiers in eastern Ukraine,” added American officials.
On November 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that there are already 11,000 North Korean servicemen in the Kursk region of Russia.
It was also reported that Russia intends to teach North Korean soldiers and officers modern combat techniques. In particular, the Kremlin aims to train North Koreans in the use of drones.