North Korea's KCNA reported last December that Korean People's Army combat engineering troops deployed to an overseas operational theater returned home after completing their military mission, with a welcome ceremony held for the "528th Engineering Regiment" at the plaza of Pyongyang's April 25 House of Culture on Friday. [Yonhap]
North Korea's KCNA reported last December that Korean People's Army combat engineering troops deployed to an overseas operational theater returned home after completing their military mission, with a welcome ceremony held for the "528th Engineering Regiment" at the plaza of Pyongyang's April 25 House of Culture on Friday. [Yonhap]

Ukraine's military intelligence has claimed that approximately 8,500 North Korean troops are currently deployed in Russia, among them 400 drone operators capable of conducting reconnaissance or strike missions against targets inside Ukraine.

Vadym Skibitsky, deputy chief of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence directorate (HUR), told CNN on Friday that the North Korean troops are deployed in Russia and stationed mainly in the Kursk region.

Skibitsky said the deployed force includes about 1,000 combat engineers and demining personnel, as well as 400 drone operators. He added that many of the drone operators gained direct or indirect operational experience during earlier rounds of North Korean troop deployments.

Skibitsky also raised the possibility of further deployments, saying Vladimir Putin could ask North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for up to 50,000 additional troops if the two meet in September.

North Korea first sent troops to Russia's Kursk region in October 2024 to support Moscow's war in Ukraine. The initial deployment was estimated at around 10,000 soldiers, and significant casualties were reported as the troops carried out large-scale assault operations.

Ukraine estimates that a cumulative total of 25,000 North Korean troops have been deployed or rotated through Russia to date.

Skibitsky also said North Korea's military support appears to be expanding beyond troops into missiles. He claimed Pyongyang supplied Russia with at least 150 KN-23 or KN-24 ballistic missiles before last August and agreed to provide an additional 120.

He further alleged that North Korea demanded S-400 air defense systems from Russia in exchange for providing troops and ammunition. Ukrainian intelligence believes North Korea has already received Pantsir surface-to-air missile systems from Russia.


moon@heraldcorp.com