There are nine thousand North Korean soldiers in the operational reserve of the Russian army, and two thousand have been assigned to combat units, said Andriy Cherniak, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, in an interview with Radio Free Europe’s Donbas Realities project.
"We know that two thousand soldiers have been sent to the marine brigade and the airborne division. If they have already been deployed to those units involved in active combat, we can confidently say that they are also now involved in combat operations. They might not be on the front lines, they might not be in the most advanced positions, but they are still contributing to the aggression against Ukraine, participating in the killing of Ukrainian servicemen," said the Main Intelligence Directorate representative.
Cherniak added that there are several possible ways in which North Korean troops from the operational reserve might be used.
"Either they will participate in active combat on Ukrainian territory, or they will participate in active combat on Russian territory, in the Kursk region. Or they will remain in operational reserve on the second line of defense, which, in principle, also poses a threat to Ukraine. Why? Because it will allow a certain number of Russian servicemen to be freed up to engage in active combat," he suggested.
Ukrainian intelligence also reported that North Korean soldiers are currently undergoing both general military training and specialized training as drone operators at training grounds in the Kursk region.
"Once they return home, these will be trained specialists who, firstly, will understand how to operate drones. Secondly, they will be instructors. The eleven thousand, or however many of them return, will be instructors who can teach the entire North Korean army about the new methods of warfare, the new conditions of combat," the interview concludes.
