Umerov confirms first clashes between Ukrainian forces and DPRK troops

05.11.2024 16:51

Ukrinform

On Tuesday, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has confirmed that Ukraine’s military battled North Korean troops for the first time since Pyongyang sent its forces to help Russia.

That is according to Politico, Ukrinform reports.

In an interview with South Korean media, Umerov said there were “small-scale clashes” between Kyiv’s forces and North Korean soldiers. He did not provide further details.

Asked if the engagement meant North Korea had officially joined the war, Umerov replied: “Yes, I think so. It was a clash.”

“We expect more engagements in the coming weeks,” Ukraine’s defense minister added.

On Monday, Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, said that the first soldiers from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea had already come under fire in the Kursk region.

According to the Pentagon, more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers are now in the Kursk region to assist Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Financial Times, citing Ukrainian intelligence, said that the first military clash between Ukrainian soldiers and the North Korean military took place in Russia’s Kursk region.