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Ukrainian forces have attacked North Korean troops in Kursk, marking a new phase in the conflict.
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A Ukrainian official told BI that they were wearing Russian uniforms and were hit by an artillery strike.
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He said there had been daily fighting around Ukrainian-occupied Sudja since the first attack.
A Ukrainian official gave Business Insider more details about the first clashes between Ukrainian and North Korean forces in Kursk, Russia, where Ukraine launched a cross-border counter-offensive in August.
Andrii Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine’s Center for Combating Disinformation, said Monday that “the first North Korean troops are already under fire in the Kursk Oblast.”
This was later confirmed by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who called it a “small commitment.” Rustem said the skirmish was a decisive signal that North Korea had joined the conflict.
In comments to BI, Kovalenko provided more details about the attack.
“It was an ordinary battle in the Kursk region,” he said, describing how Ukrainian forces conduct reconnaissance, identify enemy positions and launch attacks.
He said Ukrainian forces knew that North Korean troops dressed in Russian uniforms were distributed among several Russian army units in the region for training under combat conditions.
“An artillery attack was launched on a position where Russian and North Korean soldiers were located,” he said.
Kovalenko added that it was not an isolated incident.
He said there was now “daily fighting” in the area around Sudzha, a Ukrainian-occupied city at the center of its push into the region.
“Of course, shelling of the positions takes place on a daily basis,” he said.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that North Korean soldiers – according to Ukraine 11,000 – have already caused casualties in Kursk.
According to Kovalenko, the North Koreans will receive “a few weeks” of training before being sent to combat positions.
He said they “pose a serious threat that requires additional resources from our armed forces.”
He also said some were receiving training in the use of reconnaissance and attack drones, skills that pose a future risk to South Korea.
Once back in North Korea, they could use their new drone know-how “for future terrorist actions in the border areas with South Korea,” he said.
Business Insider could not independently confirm his account.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian intelligence has shared details the military equipment that Russia says it has issued to North Koreans, including mortars, assault rifles, machine guns and anti-tank missiles.
North Korea experts told BI that the military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang is a win-win situation for both countries. But on a practical level, they also discussed the logistical problems of combining two armies.
This includes the circumstances under which the troops are likely to work together – including language issues, racism from some Russian troops, as well as likely close supervision from North Korean officials to ensure they do not desert.
Ukrainian intelligence also recently shared what it said was intercepted audio of Russian soldiers discussing incoming Korean troops, in a conversation that suggested a chaotic start for North Koreans joining Russia’s fight.
Read the original article on Business Insider
