Thousands of North Korean soldiers are currently receiving training in Russia and will be fighting in Ukraine by the end of the year.
The Washington Post reported that senior Ukrainian intelligence officer said that North Koren soldiers are already fighting in occupied territories of Ukraine.
The North Korean soldiers are being monitored by Russian troops on the battlefield, but as yet Ukrainian troops have not fought against them.
The Washington Post’s sources said they are unclear as to where the Korean troops will be deployed on the front.
The Ukrainian intelligence official said, “It could have a significant impact.
“Especially if we’re talking about freeing up reserves within the territory of the Russian Federation itself.”
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In June Vladimir Putin and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a military pact similar to NATO’s Article 5.
Under the military pact both Moscow and Pyongyang will “provide military and other assistance without delay by all means at its disposal.”
North Korea has sent their elite military personnel as part of the agreed military cooperation.
On 19 June Putin and Jong Un signed a defence pact which reads, “In case any one of the two sides is put in a state of war by an armed invasion from an individual state or several states, the other side shall provide military and other assistance with all means in its possession without delay.”
North Korea’s KCNA news agency reported in June that the soldiers have now arrived in Russia, but their purpose of being in Russia will remain secret.
Last week officials in Kyiv revealed that intelligence sources have said it is “highly likely” North Korean soldiers have been killed fighting in Ukraine.
Intelligence sources have said six officers from North Korea were killed with 20 soldiers close to Donetsk in a missile strike by Ukrainian forces on 3 October.
On Tuesday Seoul’s defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun said, “We assess that the occurrence of casualties among North Korean officers and soldiers in Ukraine is highly likely, considering various circumstances.”
