Small number of North Korean military already inside Ukraine, US officials told CNN

North Korean troops have already entered Ukraine, according to two unnamed Western intelligence officials cited by CNN, while thousands more continue training in eastern Russia before deployment to the front lines.

Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, North Korea has supplied Moscow with at least 11,000 containers of ammunition, including approximately 2 million artillery rounds since 2023, according to a senior NATO official. The US has urged China to intervene, though Western officials remain skeptical of Beijing’s willingness to act, as China continues supporting Russia’s defense industry with dual-use goods. Now, North Korean troops are preparing to join Russia’s efforts in its war against Ukraine.

CNN reports that these troops’ presence in Ukraine exceeds previous confirmations from NATO and the Pentagon, which only acknowledged approximately 10,000 North Korean troops training in eastern Russia and moving toward Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

“It seems that a good many of them are already in action,” one Western intelligence official told CNN on 29 October.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated, referring to Ukrainian intelligence, that North Korean troops were to begin entering combat zones from 27-28 October.

South Korean intelligence estimates approximately 13,000 North Korean troops are currently in Russia, higher than US and UK assessments. Many are special forces units, Western sources indicate.

CNN says intelligence officials note that while North Korea believes their troops possess superior combat capabilities compared to regular Russian forces, their military hasn’t engaged in actual warfare for over 70 years.

CNN reports that Russian military communications intercepted by Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence on 23 October reveal concerns among Russian troops about commanding and equipping North Korean soldiers.

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