North Korea is ready to triple the number of its troops that fight for Russia along the front line with Ukraine, sending from 25,000 to 30,000 additional soldiers to assist Moscow, according to an intelligence assessment conducted by Ukrainian officials. The troops could arrive in Russia in the coming months, according to the evaluation viewed by the CNN, adding to the 11,000 sent in November who contributed to rejecting the Ukrainian raid in the Russian Kursk region.
About 4,000 of these North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured, according to Western officials, but since then the cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow has further improved. A western intelligence official confirmed the estimate, claiming to have viewed separate information from the Ukrainian evaluation, which suggested that up to 30,000 new North Korean soldiers could be sent to Russia. The Ukrainian evaluation viewed by the CNN states that the Russian Ministry of Defense is able to provide “equipment, weapons and ammunition” with the aim of “further integration in the Russian combat units”. The document adds that “there is a strong possibility” that North Korean troops are engaged in parts in parts of Ukraine occupied by Russia “to strengthen the Russian contingent, even during large -scale offensive operations”.
