North Korean Troops Spotted Near Ukrainian Border

Recently, Ukraine's military intelligence reported spotting North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk region, close to Ukraine. This region has seen ongoing military activity since Ukraine's incursion in August. The Ukrainian intelligence service mentioned that these troops, numbering around 12, 000 and trained in Russia's far east, were seen in Kursk on Wednesday. They are part of a larger group being trained at five military training grounds in eastern Russia. Russia's President Vladimir Putin neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Korean troops at the BRICS summit. Earlier, the Kremlin had dismissed such allegations. However, social media videos reported by CNN showed troops arriving at the Sergeevka training ground near the Russian-Chinese border.Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky had warned about Russia training North Korean military units. He said that Ukraine has seen North Korean officers and technical staff in occupied territories. The situation has raised concerns among Ukraine's allies, with Lithuania's foreign minister calling it a global conflict. Russia and North Korea, both facing international isolation, have strengthened ties since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They signed a defense pact in June, pledging military assistance if needed. North Korea has been accused of supplying arms to Russia, which Russia and North Korea deny despite evidence. These arms transfers have helped Russia restock in a war where it faces a disadvantage in numbers and weaponry.