Ukraine says North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk Oblast receive combat drone training
Ukraine reports that North Korean troops, embedded with Russian units in Kursk Oblast, are undergoing extensive training on modern warfare drone tactics.
The Russians are training North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia’s Kursk Oblast on how to use drones and are planning to send drone instructors to North Korea, says Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine’s National Defense and Security Council, according to Ukrinform.
Russia has intensified military ties with North Korea since February 2022, securing ballistic missiles and more than two million artillery rounds. South Korea reports that 3,000 North Korean troops are training in Russia, with a plan to increase the number to 10,000 by December. Recently, Ukraine confirmed that initial units have arrived in the Kursk combat zone and have been engaged in battles with Ukrainian forces.
According to Kovalenko, following drone training, Russia intends to deploy unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) instructors to North Korea.
“The Russians are training North Korean soldiers and officers of modern warfare tactics. They will be used in combat. North Koreans in Russian military uniforms are embedded in Russian units in the Kursk Oblast. They are learning to use FPV drones, reconnaissance drones, and principles for operating Lancets UAVs,” said Kovalenko.
He also mentioned that Russia has plans to send its drone instructors to Pyongyang to train military personnel directly in North Korea.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that there are already 11,000 North Korean troops in Kursk Oblast.
Related:
- North Korea gets $200 mn, rice, space tech for joining Russia’s war in Ukraine
- EU foreign policy chief urges South Korea to increase support for Ukraine
- North Korean troops face first combat in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian official says
- South Korea considers sending weapons to Ukraine amid North Korean deployment
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