Ukrainian officials reported that North Korean troops recently deployed to assist Russia in its war against Ukraine have come under Ukrainian fire in the Kursk region for the first time, AP News reports.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Security Council counter-disinformation branch, reported that the first North Korean units were shelled in the Kursk region, but provided no additional details. Western intelligence suggests that up to 12,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia under a pact with Moscow. Their combat effectiveness and experience remain unclear, but their presence complicates Ukraine’s military situation.
The Russian offensive has recently gained momentum, particularly in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, advancing up to 9 kilometers in some areas. Russia captured Vuhledar in early October and is likely targeting the logistics hub of Pokrovsk and the city of Chasiv Yar next.
