Ukraine begins shelling North Korean troops inside Russia, Kyiv official says
Ukraine has reportedly begun shelling North Korean troops deployed in Russia, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. The strike took place in Russia’s Kursk region, following the controversial deployment of North Korean forces to support Moscow’s war effort.
According to Andrii Kovalenko, head of the counter-disinformation branch of Ukraine’s Security Council, the North Korean troops were shelled in the Kursk region. Kovalenko made the announcement on Telegram but did not provide further details on the attack.
The deployment of North Korean combat troops, estimated to number up to 12,000, has drawn sharp criticism from the United States, Ukraine, and other Western allies. The soldiers are reportedly part of a military pact between Moscow and Pyongyang, with assessments from U.S., South Korean, and Ukrainian intelligence suggesting that North Korea is sending troops to bolster Russian forces in the war against Ukraine.
Western officials had anticipated that the North Korean units would be stationed in Russia’s Kursk region, which has been a focal point of Ukrainian counteroffensives. Ukrainian forces have been engaged in an ongoing incursion into Russian-held territory in the area, marking the first occupation of Russian soil since World War II. The move has been a significant embarrassment for the Kremlin.
The fighting capabilities and experience of the North Korean troops remain unclear, but their arrival adds further pressure to Ukraine’s already strained defenses, particularly in the eastern Donetsk region. Ukrainian forces have been struggling to withstand Russia’s nearly 1,000-day-long offensive, and Russian advances have recently accelerated. The British Ministry of Defence reported that Russian forces have made territorial gains of up to 9 kilometers in some parts of Donetsk.
Despite heavy casualties, Russia has managed to maintain battlefield momentum due to its large troop numbers and a robust recruitment drive, allowing it to keep up pressure on Ukrainian positions. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly voiced concerns over the slow pace of Western military aid, which has been a critical factor in the ongoing conflict.
In the eastern region, Russian forces recently forced Ukrainian troops out of Vuhledar, a town strategically perched atop a critical hill. Russian forces are now likely to target the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk and the strategically vital city of Chasiv Yar.
Meanwhile, Russia has continued its long-range aerial bombardments on civilian areas. On Tuesday, an attack on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia killed six people and wounded 16 others, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. Andrii Yermak, head of Ukraine’s presidential office, called for stronger action to counter the Russian airstrikes and urged Ukraine’s Western allies to take a firmer stance in supporting Ukraine’s defense efforts.
The conflict continues to escalate, with both sides facing mounting casualties and tensions growing over the involvement of additional international forces.
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