During a recent interview, South Korean and Ukrainian officials raised concerns about reports indicating that North Korean soldiers are providing ground support to Russian forces, with some potentially having already sustained casualties. An anonymous Ukrainian military intelligence officer revealed that thousands of North Korean infantry are currently being trained in Russia and could be deployed to the frontlines of the Ukraine conflict by the end of this year. This has led observers to question whether military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow has entered a new phase.

On October 10th, Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, dismissed claims of North Korea sending military personnel to fight in Ukraine, labeling it a “scam.”

According to reports from The Washington Post, an anonymous Ukrainian official indicated that North Korean officers are on the ground in Russian-occupied Ukraine, observing Russian troops and studying battlefield strategies, although Ukraine has yet to see any North Korean units engaged in combat.

Last week, social media platform Telegram and Ukrainian media reported that North Korean soldiers are supporting Russian troops in the Donbas region of Ukraine, which is under Russian control.

This summer, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a mutual defense agreement, with Kim pledging “full support” for Putin in his fight against Ukraine.

South Korea’s Minister of National Defense, Kim Yong-hyun, stated in the National Assembly on October 8th that reports of North Korean military assistance to Russia are “highly likely.” He anticipates that Pyongyang will send more personnel to support Russia in its conflict. Kim emphasized that “Russia and North Korea have essentially established a military alliance, meaning North Korea is highly likely to increase troop deployments. This is our assessment, and we will be prepared for it.”

Andriy Kovalenko, director of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, echoed these sentiments in a Telegram post on October 8th, noting that deployed North Korean troops include military engineers tasked with overseeing weapon usage, and “some have already died.”

Ukrainian military intelligence officials mentioned that it is currently unclear where the North Korean forces, trained in Russia, will be deployed on the Ukrainian front. They suggested that Russia could utilize North Korean troops in border areas, allowing their own forces to be redirected to combat in Ukraine, which “could have significant implications.”

Cha Du-Hyeogn, a former South Korean intelligence advisor and researcher on North Korean issues at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, remarked that while North Korea’s weaponry is based on outdated Soviet-era technology, modifications have been made that necessitate direct guidance and oversight.