North Korean troops are being equipped in Russia before likely being sent to Ukraine

CNN
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North Korean soldiers were filmed receiving uniforms and equipment at a military training ground in Russia's Far East. This appears to confirm reports from South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) that 1,500 soldiers were shipped to Ukraine for military training.

North Korean troops are believed to be receiving training before being sent to the front lines in Ukraine, in a clear sign of increasingly tense relations between Moscow and Pyongyang.

In a video shared with CNN by the Ukrainian government organization, the Ukrainian Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, a long line of soldiers can be seen lining up to receive their uniforms. The soldiers are believed to be speaking in Korean, although their conversations could not be fully understood due to poor sound quality.

Upon arrival in Russia, North Korean recruits were asked to fill out a questionnaire and provide their size for hats, headgear, uniforms and shoes. In a copy of the questionnaire shared with CNN, the top part of the form is written in Russian, while the different size options are written in Korean.

Another video shared on social media and geolocated by CNN showed troops arriving at the Sergeyevka military training area, which is near Russia's border with China. In the video, a Russian speaker can be heard in the background saying, “We can't film them,” before adding, “There are more… there are millions of them here.” Here are the new reinforcements. This is just the beginning. There’s more.”

This evidence appears to confirm Kiev's long-standing concerns that North Korea has been preparing for a more direct role in Russia's war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly sounded the alarm about the deepening alliance between Russia and North Korea, telling a NATO summit this week that “thousands” of North Korean troops were on their way to Russia.

“According to the information I have, they are preparing 10,000 soldiers, various soldiers, land forces and technical personnel,” Zelensky told reporters, describing it as an “urgent” development that he had raised with the United States.

South Korean media previously reported that the North would send a total of 12,000 troops, although that number was not included in the national intelligence statement.

This could be the first time that North Korea has intervened significantly in an international conflict. Although it has one of the largest militaries in the world with 1.2 million soldiers, many of its troops lack combat experience.