Some North Korean Troops Already in Ukraine, Officials Believe

It seems that a few North Korean soldiers have already made their way into Ukraine, according to some western intelligence sources. These troops are expected to grow in number as they finish their training in Russia's eastern region and move closer to the war's front lines. This development goes beyond what NATO and the Pentagon confirmed earlier, which was that about 10, 000 North Korean soldiers were training in Russia. Some of these soldiers are believed to be on their way to Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have been present since August. A western official mentioned that many of these North Korean soldiers are already engaging in combat. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky predicted that these troops would start joining combat zones as early as Sunday. However, a US official has not yet been able to confirm these reports. The US has been behind in tracking North Korea's deployments, only confirming their presence in Russia weeks after South Korea first reported it. This week, US and South Korean diplomatic and military officials are meeting in Washington, DC to discuss North Korea's expanding relationship with Russia and the deployment of its troops. Meanwhile, top Ukrainian official Andriy Yermak is in the US capital for meetings with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. They are discussing the North Korean soldiers that Russia is preparing for war. South Korean officials have also visited NATO headquarters to brief allies about North Korea's deployments. NATO allies hope that this intelligence will prompt South Korea to start providing military aid to Ukraine, despite their longstanding policy against arming countries at war. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has shown openness to changing this policy, depending on North Korea's military activities. It's uncertain how effective North Korean troops will be on the battlefield. Many of the deployed troops are special forces, and intelligence suggests that the North Korean government believes they have more combat power than regular Russian troops due to better training and specialization. However, it's been over 70 years since North Korea's military has fought in a real war. Intelligence officials think that the North Korean government sent these troops to gain combat experience. Officials expect some of these troops to desert once they reach the battlefield. The language barrier with Russian soldiers could also pose significant challenges. Some Russian troops have already expressed concerns about commanding and equipping North Korean soldiers with ammunition and military gear. Intercepted audio from Russian transmission channels reveals plans to have one interpreter and three senior officers for every 30 North Korean soldiers. South Korean intelligence estimates that there are currently about 13, 000 North Korean troops in Russia, a number that could still increase. The US has also revised its assessment upward, initially estimating around 3, 000 troops in Russia. Western officials are monitoring the situation closely as it affects global security. North Korea has also supplied Moscow with about 11, 000 containers of ammunition, containing around 2 million artillery rounds since last year. The US has been urging China, which has a relationship with Pyongyang, to intervene and pressure North Korea to pull back. However, western officials are not optimistic that China will do so, as it continues to support Russia's war effort.