NYT: 5,000 "elite" North Korean soldiers to be deployed in Russia's Kursk

By October 28, approximately 5,000 soldiers from North Korea are expected to be transferred to the Kursk region, potentially including troops from the country's "elite" military unit.

The New York Times reported that the first contingent of North Korean forces arrived in Kursk on Wednesday, October 23, and the redeployment has continued since then, with thousands of military personnel arriving daily, per Caliber.Az.

Sources in Ukraine indicated that by the designated date, around 5,000 North Korean troops will be gathered in the Kursk area. These soldiers are reportedly part of an elite unit from the Korean People's Army, being flown from Vladivostok to a military airfield in western Russia on large Il-76 transport planes before being moved to the conflict zone.

Currently, all North Korean troops are concentrated in the Kursk region, and they have not yet engaged in combat. Their intended role in the ongoing conflict remains unclear.

The New York Times also highlighted uncertainty regarding how the presence of North Korean soldiers might impact the dynamics of the battlefield. Given that North Korean forces have not participated in combat since the Korean War in the 1950s, doubts persist about the effectiveness of even their elite units.

Earlier, John Kirby, the Strategic Communications Coordinator for the White House National Security Council, suggested that North Korean troops on Russian territory would likely be sent to the Kursk region. However, he noted that the U.S. is uncertain about its specific mission or purpose.

“It is possible, even likely, that at least some of these North Korean troops may be deployed in the Kursk area. But in what capacity, for what purpose, that remains unclear at this point,” Kirby stated.

By Tamilla Hasanova