A Ukrainian journalist has released what he claims is the first footage of North Korean soldiers training in Russia’s western Kursk region, following statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirming that North Korean forces had entered the fight in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian journalist Andriy Tsaplienko, 56, shared three short videos titled “the first footage of North Korean troops in the Kursk region” on his Telegram channel on Nov. 5 (Eastern European Standard Time).
The first video, approximately nine seconds long, shows a group of soldiers seemingly learning Russian words from what appears to be a Russian instructor. The Russian instructor slowly says a word, and the Asian soldiers repeat after him.
Another video shows a group of soldiers, assumed to be North Korean, gathered around a blonde Russian instructor stretching his arms above his head as if demonstrating something. The soldiers seem to be observing him attentively. The camera then begins to shake violently, as if to avoid detection, and shifts to capture a different angle.
“In the Kursk region, North Korean troops are practicing landmine detonation under the guidance of Russian instructors,” Tsaplienko explained. “They are also learning Russian words to communicate with their instructors.”
A senior U.S. official and a senior Ukrainian official confirmed that North Korean troops have clashed with Ukrainian forces for the first time, according to the New York Times. “The Ukrainian official offered no details about casualties, but the U.S. official said a significant number of North Korean troops were killed,” NYT reported.
The Ukrainian official did not disclose details about casualties or when the fighting took place but mentioned that the engagement was limited.
In an interview with South Korea’s national broadcaster KBS on Nov. 6, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed there had been “a small engagement” with North Korean forces. “There are not many [North Korean] soldiers yet, but the numbers are expected to increase in a few weeks once their training is complete,” Umerov added. He estimated that up to 15,000 North Korean soldiers could soon join Russian forces in the coming weeks.
