North Korea 'sends 1,500 special forces with fake Russian IDs' to support Putin's war against Ukraine

According to South Korea's intelligence agency, North Korea has dispatched 1,500 elite troops dressed in Russian military attire, carrying weapons, and holding fake identification documents to Russia for training. This move is believed to be preparation for a potential deployment to assist in combat against Ukraine.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported that Pyongyang is expected to send out more troops shortly, with unverified claims suggesting that the number of North Korean soldiers could reach up to 12,000.

According to a report from the NIS, they asserted that North Korean officials are currently present in the region of eastern Ukraine occupied by Russia.

The agency stated that, in collaboration with Ukrainian intelligence, it had employed facial recognition AI technology to identify North Korean officials in the Donetsk area of eastern Ukraine who are assisting Russian troops in launching North Korean missiles.

Sending military troops marks a major increase in the assistance that North Korea is offering to Moscow, which has already supplied substantial quantities of ammunition and missiles.

It has raised concerns in Seoul as tensions rise with its secretive neighbor.

On Friday, South Korea's presidential office issued a warning that the move of North Korean troops to Russia poses a serious security risk to the global community, and stated that they would take all necessary measures in response.

These updates follow a warning from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who stated this week that North Korea is gearing up to send 10,000 troops to assist Russia in its invasion. He described any participation from North Korea as a potential "first step toward a global conflict."

A news agency from South Korea has indicated that 12,000 soldiers have been sent out. However, this figure has not been officially verified yet.

The South Korean intelligence agency revealed in a statement that between October 8 and October 13, Russian Navy vessels transported 1,500 elite North Korean troops to Vladivostok, a port city in eastern Russia.

They are currently receiving training and adjusting to their surroundings at several military installations nearby, before they are expected to be deployed for combat operations against Ukraine, according to reports.

The intelligence agency identified the locations where North Korean forces are stationed, including Vladivostok along with other Russian cities like Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk, and Blagoveshchensk.

To support its assertions, the NIS shared images on its website, including satellite photos that depict what it refers to as movements of Russian naval vessels near a port in North Korea. The agency also provided evidence of suspected large gatherings in Ussuriysk and Khabarovsk over the past week.

If North Korea were to be deployed to combat in Ukraine, it would mark the country's first significant involvement in a war outside its borders.

The secluded nation boasts an army of 1.2 million soldiers, making it one of the biggest military forces globally; however, it does not have real combat experience.

Read more: Ukraine reports no Russian drone strikes for the first time in several weeks. The new NATO leader urges member countries to disregard Putin's threats.

Numerous specialists are skeptical about the extent to which sending North Korean troops would benefit Russia, pointing out the country's obsolete military gear and lack of combat experience. They also suggest that North Korea probably received assurances of security assistance from Russia in light of the heightened tensions surrounding its developing nuclear program with the United States and South Korea.

In response to growing worries in the region, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol convened an unexpected security meeting with important intelligence, military, and national security leaders to address the participation of North Korean forces in Russia's conflict with Ukraine.

The participants expressed concern that the deepening relationship between Russia and North Korea, which has escalated from simply exchanging military equipment to the potential deployment of troops, poses a serious security risk not just to our nation but to the entire global community, according to a statement from the presidential office.

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North Korea has been increasing its backing for its close partner, Russia, in exchange for financial aid, as well as possibly gaining military technology and enhanced defense capabilities.

Earlier this year, the two countries established a defense pact when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in Pyongyang.

Meanwhile, North Korea has become more confrontational with South Korea, recently labeling its neighbor as a "hostile country."

Kim has claimed that Seoul is working together with Washington to bring down his government. He advocates for a distinct separation from years of policy cooperation with South Korea, suggesting that unification should no longer be an objective.

This week, the struggling nation severed both road and rail connections with South Korea. These measures emphasized "not just the physical separation but also the conclusion of the hostile ties with Seoul," as reported by the state news agency KCNA, citing the North Korean leader.