The Power Within: The Kyiv Independent’s first-ever magazine. Be among the first to get it.

pre-order now
Skip to content
Edit post

US Intelligence Chairman urges immediate action on North Korean troop movements in Ukraine

by Sonya Bandouil October 19, 2024 7:52 PM 2 min read
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (Center-R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) walk past children attending a welcoming ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on June 19, 2024. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Vladimir Smirnov / POOL / AFP)
This audio is created with AI assistance

U.S. Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Michael R. Turner appealed to U.S. President Joseph Biden on Oct. 18 to respond immediately to reports of North Korea's troops preparing to join Russia's army fighting in Ukraine.

North Korean troops attacking Ukraine from Russia or entering Ukraine “must be a red line for the United States and NATO," Turner said.

Turner also cited public reports from Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence agencies that suggest North Korean troops may be moving via Russian naval vessels.

Calling the situation "alarming" and a major escalation of the conflict, Turner urged the U.S. and NATO to act immediately.

He requested an urgent classified briefing for the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, emphasizing the need for swift U.S. and NATO action to prevent a broader conflict.

Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said that the first group of 2,600 soldiers will be deployed to Russia's Kursk Oblast, where Ukraine began a cross-border incursion in August and still holds significant swathes of territory.

He said that close to 11,000 North Korean troops are in Russia and will be "ready to fight" in Ukraine by Nov. 1.

‘Only death awaits them’ – We asked 5 Ukrainian soldiers about North Korean troops fighting for Russia
Russia’s war in Ukraine is on the verge of escalating dramatically, with multiple reports, intelligence assessments, and a video suggesting North Korean troops could soon be fighting alongside Kremlin forces. While Pyongyang has long supplied Moscow with weaponry, the deployment of boots on the gro…

News Feed

8:06 AM

Zelensky arrives in South Africa to meet President Ramaphosa.

"We count on South Africa’s meaningful participation in the International Coalition for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. We will also certainly strengthen our cultural and educational ties," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
5:30 AM

Trump says he may meet Putin 'shortly' after May Middle East visit.

Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, Trump and Putin have yet to have direct contact, communicating only through their officials. Trump's last in-person encounter with his Russian counterpart was during the 2018 Helsinki Summit during the U.S. president's first term.
8:08 PM

Ukrainians react to US proposal of recognizing Crimea as Russian.

The U.S. media outlet Axios reported on April 23 that the U.S. President Donald Trump administration's final proposal for ending the Russia-Ukraine war included the U.S. de jure recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea and de facto recognizing its control of other occupied Ukrainian territories. We asked Kyiv residents for their reactions to the U.S. proposal.
7:21 PM  (Updated: )

Trump says 'nobody is asking' Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian.

"Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?" U.S. President Donald Trump wrote.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.