Kursk: The first batch of North Korean troops dispatched to Russia as part of its war efforts against Ukraine has reportedly come under Ukrainian attack in the western Russian border region of Kursk, according to a Ukrainian official. Ukrainian news agency RBC-Ukraine cited Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, stating that these North Korean military personnel have been targeted by Ukrainian fighters and have come under fire.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the report did not specify the fate of the North Korean soldiers following the attack. This development is part of a larger context where the United States has reported that up to 8,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Russia’s western front-line region. These troops are anticipated to engage in combat soon.

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned in an interview with South Korean broadcaster KBS that North Korean troops in Russia had not yet participated in combat operations but were
preparing to do so in the Kursk region. This statement aligns with the recent reports of North Korean troops coming under Ukrainian attack, suggesting an escalation in their involvement in the conflict.