North Korean troops reportedly train in Russian uniforms
The Russian investigative portal The Insider published a recording that purportedly shows the training of North Korean soldiers at a training ground in Russia. Earlier, the South Korean intelligence agency reported that North Korea decided to send more than 10,000 soldiers, including a special forces unit, to the war in Ukraine.
2:26 PM EDT, October 18, 2024
The Insider’s analysts believe the recordings were made at military unit 44980 of the 127th Motor Rifle Division in the Primorsky Territory in Russia, near the border with North Korea.
They're issued with Russian uniforms
Earlier, the Vostok-2022 exercises concluded in this area, involving military personnel from China. However, The Insider did not find any foreign fighters in Russian uniforms and equipment similar to those shown in the recording on the Vostok-2022 exercise video. The vegetation in the video does not correspond to August, when the mentioned exercises took place.
A Korean translator to whom The Insider showed the video noted that one of the soldiers in the film yells: "Follow the black line." The translator added that it is likely a "North Korean dialect."
Previously, the South Korean intelligence agency NIS reported that North Korea decided to send approximately 10,000 soldiers, including special forces, to support Russia in the war against Ukraine.
Kim's soldiers are in Russia
According to NIS, the first contingent was deployed to various locations in the Far East, including Vladivostok, Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk, and Blagoveshchensk, where they are currently integrating with Russian military units.
Special forces soldiers "are to be deployed to the front line (in Ukraine) as soon as they complete acclimatization training," the intelligence services stated. The military personnel were issued Russian uniforms and weapons and were also given fake identification to appear as part of the Russian forces.
The information about the Russian uniforms is also confirmed by the Strategic Communications and Information Security Center of Ukraine. It is noted in a communiqué that the uniforms were issued at a training ground in Sergeyev in the far east of Russia.
The film released by the agency is "no more than 72 hours old."
