Russia has confirmed to the West that North Korea is taking an active part in the war against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the South Korean KBS TV channel published on Oct. 31.
He said the messages were passed through the country's intelligence.
"The Russian Federation at the level of intelligence confirmed that North Korea is involved (in the war) ... (Russia) has been talking about this with the West."
North Korea had sent troops to Russia to participate in its war against Ukraine and deployed them in Kursk Oblast, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, as well as the Pentagon, confirmed on Oct. 28.
"Two states are officially at war against Ukraine. The military is officially involved. This is not just the transfer of artillery shells, assistance with the appropriate number of missiles, or the involvement of technical personnel working at factories," Zelensky said.
Some 3,000 North Korean troops are already in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Meanwhile, Kyiv expects their number to increase to 12,000, Zelensky said.
The president said that some of the North Korean military is also located in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories without specifying the region.
There have been no clashes between the North Korean and Ukrainian military so far, but this is "a matter of days, not months," according to Zelensky.
"Russia really wants us to leave Kursk Oblast," Zelensky said.
"Russia has concentrated about 45,000 troops in Kursk Oblast and will increase (their number). They (Russians) are pulling North Korean troops there. They don't have enough."
According to the Financial Times, Ukrainian intelligence officials are skeptical regarding the combat effectiveness of the troops and cite communication issues with their Russian counterparts as the main hurdle Moscow and Pyongyang will have to bridge.
A South Korean delegation will visit Ukraine in the second part of the week to share information on North Korea's troops in Russia and discuss cooperation.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has also been urging China to use its relationship with Pyongyang and apply pressure on North Korea to withdraw its troops from Ukraine's front line, CNN reported on Oct. 29, citing a U.S. official.
North Korea's entry into the war comes when Russia's long and grinding campaign in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast has dramatically gained pace in recent days. Analysts say Moscow's forces are advancing at a pace not seen since the early months of the war.
Chris York
