Russia detains 18 North Korean soldiers who left positions in Kursk Oblast, source says

Russian authorities detained 18 North Korean soldiers who abandoned their positions in Russia's Kursk Oblast, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent on Oct. 21.

Moscow's ally Pyongyang is preparing to deploy around 11,000 soldiers to help Russia's war against Ukraine early next month, Kyiv said, adding that some had already arrived.

Eighteen of them had deserted their positions in Russian regions near the Ukrainian border, Suspilne reported on Oct. 15, citing unnamed intelligence officials.

Hromadske reported, citing a military intelligence source, that around 40 North Korean soldiers had arrived in Russia to exchange skills with their Russian counterparts.

After the training, the 18 North Koreans were left in a forest in Kursk Oblast without food and instructions for several days, leading to them abandoning their post to find the Russian command on Oct. 14.

Two days later, the missing soldiers were found and detained by Russian authorities roughly 60 kilometers (almost 40 miles) from their original position, Hromadske wrote.

South Korea confirmed the transfer of North Korean military personnel to Russia, calling it a "grave security threat." U.S. Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Michael R. Turner said that such a step must constitute a "red line for the United States and NATO."

A video that emerged online on Oct. 18 purportedly showed North Korean soldiers in a Russian military camp receiving equipment and preparing for deployment against Ukraine.

Russia and North Korea have deepened their cooperation throughout the full-scale war, with Moscow receiving extensive packages of artillery shells and ballistic missiles.