US confirms involvement of North Korean troops in hostilities in Russia's Kursk Oblast – Reuters

North Korean troops have been involved in combat operations in Russia's Kursk Oblast for the first time. 

Source: Reuters, citing two US officials, as reported by European Pravda

Details: One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, mentioned that North Korean troops had been first involved in the fighting on 4 November. The source did not mention whether there were any North Korean casualties or provide further details about the combat.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on Tuesday that the first combat between Ukrainian forces and North Korean troops "opens a new page in instability in the world" after Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov reported a "small engagement".

Background:

• Earlier this week, the Pentagon estimated that at least 10,000 North Korean troops had been deployed to Kursk Oblast, with Pyongyang having sent a total of 11,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia.
• The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) and three key allies expressed serious concern on Tuesday over the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia and announced that they were coordinating a joint response to the situation.
• Meanwhile, UK intelligence indicated that North Korean troops involved in combat operations against Ukraine would face challenges in terms of interoperability with Russian forces and the use of equipment.

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