North Korean soldiers were filmed receiving uniforms and equipment at a training camp in Russia’s far east, apparently confirming reports from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) that 1,500 soldiers were sent for military training to be deployed to Ukraine .
North Korean troops are believed to be receiving training before being sent to the frontline in Ukraine, in what is considered a clear sign of the increasingly warm relations between Moscow and Pyongyang.
In a video shared with CNN by the Ukrainian Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security, a long line of soldiers can be seen lining up to receive their uniforms. The soldiers are believed to be speaking in Korean, although poor-quality audio prevented their discussions from being fully understood.
Upon arriving in Russia, North Korean recruits were asked to fill out a questionnaire providing their sizes for helmets, hats, uniforms and shoes. In a copy of the questionnaire shared with the CNN the top of the form is written in Russian, while the various size options are written in Korean.
Another video circulating on social media, geolocated by CNN showed troops arriving at the Sergeevka Training Camp, which is near Russia’s border with China. In the video, a Russian speaker can be heard in the background saying “we can’t film them”, before adding: “There are more… there are millions of them here. Here are the new reinforcements. This is just the beginning. There is more.”
This evidence appears to confirm Kiev’s long-standing concern that North Korea is preparing for a more direct role in Russia’s war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly sounded the alarm about the deepening alliance between Russia and North Korea, telling a NATO summit this week that “thousands” of North Korean troops were on their way to Russia.
“From the intelligence I have… they are preparing 10,000 troops, different troops, ground forces, technical personnel,” Zelensky told reporters, describing it as an “urgent” development he had raised with the United States.
South Korean media previously reported that the North will send a total of 12,000 troops, although that number was not included in the national intelligence service’s statement.
This could mark the first time North Korea has made a significant intervention in an international conflict. Despite having one of the largest armies in the world, with 1.2 million soldiers, many of its troops have no combat experience.
This content was originally published in North Korean troops are seen equipping in Russia on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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