First North Korean troops may arrive in Kursk Oblast as soon as 23 October – Ukraine's Defence Intelligence chief

Ukrainian defence intelligence expects the first North Korean soldiers to arrive on the Kursk front on 23 October.

Source: Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, in a comment to The War Zone

Quote: "We expect the first units to arrive tomorrow on the Kursk front."

Details: However, it remains unclear how many soldiers will arrive and how they will be equipped. Budanov added that more information will become available in the coming days.

Background: 

• On 8 October, South Korea's Ministry of Defence reported that North Korea was likely to send some of its regular armed forces to the battlefield in Ukraine in support of Russia.
• On 13 October, President Zelenskyy stated that North Korea was supplying Russia not only with weapons but also with military personnel, and called on partners to increase aid for Ukraine. On 14 October, in his evening address, Zelenskyy announced that North Korea had de facto joined the war. On 17 October, Zelenskyy specified that Russia intended to involve about 10,000 soldiers from North Korea in the war against Ukraine.
• On 18 October, Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, confirmed that approximately 11,000 North Korean infantry troops were being trained in Russia’s east. They were expected to be ready for combat against Ukraine by 1 November.
• North Korea has called the accusations by South Korea and Ukraine that it is sending soldiers to fight on the side of Russia in the war with Ukraine "groundless rumours."

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