North Korea deploys 1,500 special forces troops to Russia: details

On Saturday, October 19, North Korea deployed 1,500 special forces personnel to Russian territory.

This was reported by The Telegraph.

Approximately 1,500 special forces soldiers were transferred to Vladivostok, with their further deployment expected soon.
It is believed that the personnel sent to Vladivostok come from North Korea's 200,000-strong Special Operations Forces (SOF), primarily used for reconnaissance and testing South Korean defenses.

What Ukraine says

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and South Korean intelligence, around 10,000 North Korean soldiers are preparing to join Moscow's army.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov stated that about 2,600 military personnel are expected to be deployed to Kursk by November 1.

According to Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), these troops have been issued Russian military uniforms, weapons, and fake identification, and it is expected that they will be sent to Ukraine after completing training.
"This seems like an attempt to disguise North Koreans as Russian soldiers," said an intelligence agency.
The role of North Korea

It is still unclear what role North Korea's special forces will play on Ukraine's eastern front.

Ahmed Hassan, CEO of Gray Dynamics, emphasizes that SOF are considered "special" by North Korean military standards, not by the criteria used for NATO or Russian special forces.

"If you rank from one to ten, where one is a basic soldier and ten is, for example, Delta Force or SAS, North Korean forces would rank around five," Hassan told The Telegraph.
China’s role

On Saturday, the U.S. announced sanctions against Chinese companies involved in the production of kamikaze drones used against Ukraine.

However, Beijing, which views North Korea as a buffer zone between itself and U.S. ally South Korea, has historically opposed any risky or destabilizing moves by Pyongyang that could affect China's external affairs, particularly its trade relations with the West.
"If China says "no" to the final deployment of troops, it won't happen. Russia has very little to offer North Korea compared to what China provides, so if Beijing halts the plan, these troops may never reach the front," the report concludes.

Read also:

• Russia attacked Ukraine with "Shahed" drones and unidentified UAVs: how many targets were shot down

• "Russia is likely to carry out a provocation against Belarus": NSDC on the "Shahed" drone incursions

• Zelenskyy openly answered whether Ukraine was offered peace in exchange for territory.

• What is happening around Chasiv Yar: the Armed Forces of Ukraine explain