South Koreaʼs National Intelligence Service has confirmed that North Korea has already started sending troops to Russia for the war against Ukraine.
This is stated in the report of South Korean intelligence.
In early August 2024, South Korean intelligence observed that Kim Jongsik — the first vice chairman of North Koreaʼs Ministry of Munitions and Industry, which is the core of missile development — visited a North Korean KN-23 missile launch site near the Russian-Ukrainian border with dozens of North Korean officers.
After that, intelligence closely followed the military movements of the DPRK. And in the period from October 8 to 13, it was possible to record the transportation of North Korean special forces to Russia, which confirms the involvement of the DPRK in the war against Ukraine.
According to intelligence, four amphibious ships and three escort ships of the Russian Pacific Fleet have already transported more than 1,500 North Korean special forces from the Chongjin, Hamhun, and Musudan regions to Vladivostok (Russia). Soon, even more troops from the DPRK will be transferred to the Russian Federation.
The movement of Russian ships during the transportation of North Korean troops, October 12, 2024.
National Intelligence Service of South Korea
This is the first visit of the Russian Navy to North Korean waters since 1990. Large transport planes also fly between Vladivostok and Pyongyang, in particular the Russian An-124 "Ruslan".
North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia are now stationed at Russian military bases in the Far East — in Vladivostok, Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk, and Blagoveshchensk. They are expected to be sent to the front after the training.
A military facility in Ussuriysk, Russia (approximately 400 North Koreans gathered at the parade ground, October 16, 2024). A military facility in Khabarovsk (with approximately 240 North Korean soldiers stationed there, October 16, 2024).
National Intelligence Service of South Korea
The leader of the DPRK Kim Jong Un visited the special forces twice before their deployment in Russia — on September 11 and October 2 this year.
Russian uniforms and Russian-made weapons were issued to the North Korean military, as well as fake identity cards of residents of Yakutia and Buryatia. They will be disguised as Russian soldiers. Thus, Russia is trying to hide the participation of the DPRK in the war against Ukraine due to the similar external features of North Koreans, Yakuts and Buryats.
According to South Korean intelligence estimates, since last August, North Korea has provided Russia with more than 13 000 containers of artillery shells, missiles, anti-tank missiles and other lethal weapons.
The Russian ship "Angara", loaded with North Korean weapons, leaves the port of Najin (DPRK).
National Intelligence Service of South Korea
The Main Intelligence Directorate (known as GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine claims that North Korean artillery ammunition of caliber 122 and 152 mm, Bulsae-4 anti-tank missiles, KN-23 ballistic missiles and other short-range ballistic missiles, as well as hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers were seized from the front in Ukraine.
Considering the size of the containers transported by cargo ships between North Korea and Russia, South Korean intelligence believes that more than 8 million 122 and 152 mm artillery munitions were delivered to Russia.
The Russian ship "Lady R" with a load of North Korean weapons leaves the port of Najin (DPRK).
National Intelligence Service of South Korea
"Suspicions regarding direct military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK, which were written about by foreign media, have been officially confirmed," said a representative of South Korean intelligence.
South Korea will continue to monitor military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
Union of Russia and North Korea
On October 4, Kyiv Post, with reference to GUR, reported that a day earlier six North Korean officers were killed in an attack by the Armed Forces near occupied Donetsk. An anonymous Ukrainian official told The Guardian that North Korean military engineers are helping Russian troops strike Ukraine with North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles.
Already on October 8, South Koreaʼs Defense Minister Kim Yonghyun said that the agreements between Russia and North Korea resemble a military alliance, so there is a high probability that the military from the DPRK is fighting on the side of the Russian Federation in Ukraine — and their number may increase. In a few days, President Zelensky confirmed that North Korea supplies Russia not only with weapons, but also with personnel for the military forces.
Babel sources in the intelligence said on October 1 that a "special Buryat battalion" staffed by citizens of the DPRK is being formed at the base of the 11th separate airborne assault brigade of the Russian Federation.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.