North Korean soldiers desert Russian ranks at Ukrainian front
Moscow has reportedly established a "special Buryat battalion" composed of North Koreans, according to Ukrainska Pravda. The portal states that 18 of these soldiers have already fled from their positions on the border between the Bryansk and Kursk regions.
Sources within Ukrainian intelligence, as cited by the portal, claim that the Korean soldiers were stationed about four miles from the front lines. The reasons for their escape remain unclear. Russian authorities have begun searching for the deserters, according to the Ukrainska Pravda informant.
There are reports that Russian officials are also trying to withhold this information from their "higher command."
Reports confirming the presence of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region have also come from the UNIAN agency, citing its own sources in Ukrainian intelligence.
Koreans on the front: sources confirm
On Tuesday, Ukrainska Pravda reported that Moscow had formed a "special Buryat battalion" made up of North Korean citizens. This unit is intended to operate within the Russian army framework.
The unit is estimated to comprise about 3,000 people. According to Ukrainian sources, the soldiers are expected to operate in the Sudzha region of the Kursk area.
Russian media has also reported increased cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. On Monday, it was conveyed that Vladimir Putin submitted a bill to the Russian parliament to ratify a strategic partnership with North Korea. The bill includes a provision for "military assistance," which media sources link to reports about plans to deploy North Korean soldiers to Ukraine.
