According to intelligence, the North Korean troops were
moved using at least 28 Russian military transport aircraft.
HUR indicated that the Russians have armed the North Korean
soldiers "infantry-style," providing them with 60-millimeter mortars,
AK-12 assault rifles, Kalashnikov machine guns, sniper rifles (SVD/SVCh),
Phoenix anti-tank guided missiles, and grenade launchers (RPG-7).
The foreign troops were also given a limited number of night
vision devices, thermal imagers, collimator sights, and binoculars.
HUR added that North Korean military training is being
conducted at five training grounds in Russia's Far East.
North Korean military participation in the war against Ukraine
On Oct. 18, HUR stated that nearly 11,000 North Korean
soldiers are currently training in eastern Russia to fight against Ukraine.
South Korean intelligence confirmed that Russia is preparing North Korean
special forces for the war in Ukraine.
On Oct. 22, it was reported that South Korea is considering
sending its military to Ukraine in response to North Korea's actions.
On Oct. 28, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed the
involvement of North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine and their
relocation to Russia's Kursk Oblast.
On Oct. 29, CNN, citing two Western intelligence officials,
reported that a small group of North Korean soldiers is already in Ukraine.
Officials expect this number to grow as North Korean military personnel
complete their training in eastern Russia.
On Oct. 31, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that up to 8,000 North Korean soldiers had been deployed to Russia's Kursk Oblast. On Nov. 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again
criticized Western partners for "only observing" while Russia
accumulates foreign troops near Ukraine.