Russia transporting North Korean troops to front lines in civilian trucks, military intelligence says

Nov 05, 2024

Russia is transporting North Korean soldiers to the front lines via trucks with civilian license plates, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) reported on Oct. 27.

The announcement follows reports from U.S. and Ukrainian officials that a contingent of North Korean troops is headed to Russia's Kursk Oblast to assist Moscow in countering Ukraine's offensive in the region.

Russian police officers on Oct. 27 stopped a Kamaz truck with civilian license plates on the Kursk-Voronezh highway, HUR said via its official Telegram channel. The vehicle was reportedly loaded with North Korean military personnel, but the driver did not have documented combat orders.

In an intercepted radio communication, officers of Russia's 810th Separate Marine Brigade are trying to sort out the problem of the stopped truck, according to audio published by HUR. The unit was expecting to receive North Korean reinforcements via the Kamaz truck.

The audio records the officers discussing why the truck was stopped on the Kursk-Voronezh highway and why the driver lacked proper documentation.

HUR's report indicates that North Korean troops are on their way to Russian units, aligning with President Volodymyr Zelensky's announcement on Oct. 25 that Russia is planning to send the first North Korean soldiers to a combat zone on Oct. 27-28.

While Russia and North Korea first dismissed Ukraine's reports that North Korean troops were joining the war, the leaders of the two countries have changed their language in recent days, moving from denial to justification.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 24 indirectly acknowledged the presence of North Korean soldiers in Russia, responding to claims of satellite imagery with "if there are images, they reflect something" and citing Pyongyang's defense treaty with Moscow.

North Korea's foreign ministry said on Oct. 25 that any decision to send troops to Russia would comply with international law.

Estimates on the number of North Korean troops sent to the Ukraine-Russia front line have varied. U.S. officials estimated around 3,000 North Korean troops were training in Russia, but National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby indicated that the overall count could now be higher.

South Korean intelligence has informed lawmakers that North Korean troop numbers in Russia could reach 10,000 by December, while Kyiv has said that Pyongyang has sent nearly 12,000 troops to Russia, including 500 officers and three generals.