Seoul (South Korea), November 6 (HBTV): North Korean troops have reportedly clashed for the first time with Ukrainian forces in Russia's war against Ukraine, according to the New York Times, which cited senior Ukrainian and U.S. officials. The report claims North Korean troops are currently occupying a portion of Russia's Kursk region.

This follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s confirmation of the initial combat engagement between North Korean and Ukrainian forces, stating that approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed in Russia’s Kursk region. South Korea’s Defence Ministry similarly confirmed on Tuesday that around 10,000 North Korean troops have been deployed in Russia, with a "considerable" number positioned in front-line areas, according to Yonhap.

However, South Korea's presidential office stated on Wednesday that while North Korean troops are present on Russia's western front, they have not yet engaged in full-scale combat with Ukrainian forces. A senior presidential official shared this assessment.

In an interview aired by South Korean broadcaster KBS, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov reported that Ukraine's military had, for the first time, encountered North Korean troops. While no casualty details were provided by Ukrainian officials, a U.S. official claimed a significant number of North Korean soldiers were killed. According to the Ukrainian source, the North Korean soldiers fought alongside a Russian naval infantry brigade.

On Tuesday, Zelenskyy described the first battles with North Korean soldiers as "opening a new page of instability in the world." He urged global support for Ukraine, stating that efforts must be made to ensure that Russia's attempt to expand the war ends in "failure."

A U.S. State Department spokesperson stated on Monday that up to 10,000 North Korean troops were in the Kursk region and could soon engage in combat. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called the presence of North Korean forces a "very serious" escalation with implications for both Europe and Asia.

Since the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022, Russia and North Korea have strengthened their military ties. In June, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, the two nations signed a strategic partnership treaty, which includes provisions for mutual assistance if either nation is attacked.

Japanese state media Kyodo reported insights from Ri Il Gyu, a former senior North Korean diplomat who defected last year. He suggested that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is "gambling" by sending troops to Russia and has no intention of abandoning North Korea’s nuclear program despite the financial strain on the country.

The New York Times noted that while North Korea has one of the world's largest militaries, with 1.2 million soldiers, it has not participated in major conflicts since the Korean War (1950–53). Russia, according to the report, has relied on North Korea for weapon supplies amid dwindling stockpiles. South Korea also released satellite images showing Russian Navy activity near a North Korean port and hundreds of suspected North Korean soldiers assembling in the Russian cities of Ussuriysk and Khabarovsk.   

(ANI)