North Korean Troops in Russia: Under Fire and Controversy

Recently, North Korean soldiers serving in Russia faced an unexpected challenge. According to Ukrainian officials, some of these troops were fired upon in Russia's Kursk region—the first reported incident of its kind. Andrii Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, shared this information on Telegram. However, he didn't provide any further details. The North Korean troops are reportedly wearing Russian uniforms and receiving training to operate drones. Russia, in turn, plans to send trainers to North Korea to teach them about unmanned aircraft systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned in a video address that around 11, 000 North Korean troops are currently stationed in Kursk. Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder informed that at least 10, 000 North Korean troops are in Kursk, a region close to Ukraine's Sumy province. Ryder also warned that if these troops engage in combat support against Ukraine, they will become legitimate military targets. Ukraine initially reported the deployment of North Korean troops in mid-October, which was later confirmed by the U. S. and NATO. Since then, Zelensky has been urging Western allies to respond more forcefully to the growing military partnership between Russia and North Korea, which includes the exchange of artillery shells and missiles for technological aid.