Close to 11,000 North Korean soldiers are believed to have been deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, with some having already participated in battles against Ukraine, two South Korean lawmakers said on Wednesday, citing a briefing from Seoul’s spy agency.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that the number of North Korean troops available to be deployed to Russia “may grow to 100,000.”
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said it was still assessing the number of North Korean troop casualties and details of their operations, according to lawmakers Lee Seong-kweun and Park Sun-won, who were briefed by the NIS.
More weapons sent: Pyongyang’s troops have been receiving tactical and drone response training from Russia’s airborne units and marines, the NIS said, adding that North Korea had also shipped more war supplies to Russia. These include long-range artillery, including self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launchers, in addition to the shells and missiles Pyongyang has already provided, the spy agency said.
North Korea has likely deployed extra personnel to maintain the weapons and provide extra training for Russian troops who are unfamiliar with some of the new weaponry, the NIS said.