Ukrainian forces have not yet engaged in combat with North Korean soldiers, military says

The Ukrainian military has not yet fought with or captured North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk Oblast, said Vadym Mysnyk, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Operational Tactical Group Siversk, on Pershyi TV channel on Oct. 28.

The first North Korean troops were to be deployed in the combat zone on Oct. 27 or 28, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Asked whether North Korean troops have been spotted on the battlefield, Mysnyk said that intelligence data confirms that the Russian command is redeploying North Korean troops closer to the front in Kursk Oblast. Yet Ukrainian forces have not yet encountered them.

The U.S. said on Oct. 26 that North Korean troops are being dispatched to Kursk Oblast, a Russian border region facing a Ukrainian offensive. While the White House did specify in what capacity they would be deployed, Ukraine and South Korea said that at least some North Korean troops would be used in combat.

Previously, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said that Russia is preparing to deploy 12,000 North Korean soldiers, including 500 officers and three generals.

Russia and North Korea have initially dismissed the reports but recently turned to more evasive rhetoric as evidence of the troops' dispatch mounted.

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The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell