North Korea has deployed approximately 10,900 troops to support Russia in its ongoing war in Ukraine, including soldiers from its airborne units and marines. Some of these troops are reportedly already engaged in active combat.
This revelation was made by a South Korean lawmaker on Wednesday, citing intelligence from the country’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).
In addition to troop deployments, North Korea has also supplied Russia with additional weaponry, including self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launchers. “North Korea is ramping up its support for Russia with military reinforcements and arms shipments,” said Lee Seong-kweun, a member of South Korea’s parliamentary intelligence committee, during a briefing.
The collaboration between the two nations was further highlighted by North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui’s recent visit to Moscow, where she met Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to another intelligence committee member, Park Sun-won, this meeting was an unusual diplomatic occurrence and likely included discussions of critical issues, such as a potential visit to Russia by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“The nature of the meeting indicates it went beyond protocol or routine greetings,” Park Sun-won stated, citing information from the NIS.
The South Korean intelligence agency is currently working to confirm the number of North Korean troop casualties and investigate reports of possible surrenders, amid conflicting accounts about their fate on the battlefield.
