North Korean soldiers transported to front line in lorries with civilian plates – Ukrainian intelligence intercept

STANISLAV POHORILOV — Sunday, 27 October 2024, 20:26

Photo: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine

Russia is transporting North Korean military reinforcements to the front lines in KamAZ lorries bearing civilian plates, according to an intercept by Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (DIU).

Source: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine on Facebook

Details: DIU reported that on 27 October 2024, Russian police stopped a KamAZ lorry with civilian plates loaded with North Korean soldiers on the Kursk-Voronezh highway.

Reportedly, the driver carrying North Korean reinforcements in the trailer lacked a proper combat order.

In an intercepted radio communication obtained by Ukrainian intelligence, officers of the 810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade of Russia’s occupying forces, which was to receive the North Korean reinforcement, tried to determine if the stopped lorry was on their balance sheet and why the driver lacked the required documents.

Background:

On 8 October, the South Korean Ministry of Defence said that North Korea was likely to send some of its regular armed forces to Ukraine to support 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 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, Chief of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, confirmed that about 11,000 North Korean infantrymen were currently undergoing training in Russia’s east. They will be ready to take part in combat actions against Ukraine as early as 1 November.
On Wednesday, South Korean intelligence reported that Pyongyang had sent 3,000 troops to Russia to support Russian forces in their war against Ukraine and was also trying to isolate the families of selected soldiers in a certain place to prevent information from spreading.
The first North Korean military units that have undergone training at training grounds in Russia’s east have arrived in the war zone. They were spotted in Kursk Oblast of Russia on 23 October.