Ukraine says it fought N Korean troops for first time

North Korean soldiers person clashed with Ukrainian troops for the archetypal time, Ukraine's apical officials person revealed.

In an interrogation with South Korean broadcaster KBS, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said a "small group" of North Korean soldiers were attacked.

Ukraine person Volodymyr Zelensky, who had earlier condemned the West's deficiency of effect to the North Korean troops, said these "first battles with North Korea unfastened a caller section of instability successful the world".

He said an estimated 11,000 North Korean soldiers were successful the Kursk borderline region, wherever Ukrainian troops person a foothold.

Ukraine's apical counter-disinformation authoritative Andriy Kovalenko archetypal said successful a Telegram station connected Monday that North Korea's "first subject units... [had] already travel nether occurrence successful Kursk".

In an interrogation with South Korean broadcaster KBS, Rustem Umerov confirmed this, saying helium expects a "significant number" of the North Korean troops to beryllium engaged successful combat, though helium added it was "so acold conscionable tiny contacts, not full-scale engagement".

Most of them are inactive undergoing training, helium added.

"They're wearing Russian uniforms, they're undergoing tactical training, and they're being deployed nether assorted commands of the Russian service connected the beforehand lines," Umerov said.

He said it was apt that 5 units, each consisting of astir 3,000 soldiers, would beryllium deployed crossed the battlefield.

He did not notation if determination were immoderate casualties.

In a regular video code connected Wednesday, Zelensky called connected Ukraine "together with the world... [to do] everything to marque this Russian measurement toward expanding the war... a failure. Both for them, and for North Korea."

Intelligence sources from South Korea, the US, and Nato had earlier each confirmed the deployments of North Korean troops.

Late past month, Seoul had summoned Russia's ambassador, seeking the "immediate withdrawal" of the North Korean troops. It has besides warned that it is considering straight supplying arms to Ukraine.

Analysts person said that Pyongyang could beryllium paid, oregon whitethorn beryllium fixed entree to Russian subject exertion successful speech for the troops.

On Wednesday, Russian lawmakers volition ballot to ratify a communal defence pact with North Korea, archetypal projected during Russian President Vladimir Putin's lavish sojourn to Pyongyang successful June.

It pledges that Russia and North Korea volition assistance each different successful the lawsuit of "aggression" against either country. Both countries person neither confirmed nor denied that North Korean troops person been sent to Russia.