North Korean troops bolster Russian forces in Kursk region

According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, North Korean soldiers are set to join the fighting in the Kursk region of western Russia on Sunday or Monday, based on intelligence data shared on Telegram.

"This is an obvious step by Russia towards escalation, which has actual significance—contrary to any disinformation that might have been heard in recent days at the BRICS summit in Kazan. The world clearly sees what Russia truly desires: the continuation of the war. This is why we need a principled and resolute response from world leaders. The involvement of North Korea in military operations should not be met with ignorance and confused comments, but with tangible pressure on both Moscow and Pyongyang to adhere to the United Nations Charter, accompanied by sanctions for escalation," Zelensky wrote.

On Thursday, Ukrainian intelligence reported that the first soldiers from North Korea have already been dispatched to the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces are actively operating.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine announced that it has launched an investigation to determine whether North Korea's support for Russia in the war constitutes a crime of aggression.

President Zelensky previously warned that sending North Korean soldiers to the front would be "the first step to world war." NATO has cautioned that if North Korean soldiers join Russian forces in Ukraine, it could signify an escalation of the conflict.

Ukrainian forces began a military operation in the Kursk region on August 6. By the end of August, the Ukrainian army reported that it controlled 480 square miles of territory in the region. However, since September, Ukrainian forces have been losing ground due to a Russian army counteroffensive. According to experts, Ukraine currently controls only about 300 square miles of this region.