18 North Korean soldiers desert Russian frontline in Kursk and Bryansk

Around 18 North Korean soldiers are reported to have deserted the Russian frontline, with Kremlin forces now actively searching for them, according to Ukraine's public broadcasting company, Suspilne, News.Az reports.

The soldiers were stationed in Russia’s Kursk and Bryansk regions, just four miles from the Ukrainian border, before they fled. Intelligence sources have revealed that Russian commanders are attempting to conceal the desertion from higher authorities as they conduct the search.

This desertion follows recent reports of Moscow planning to deploy a battalion of North Korean troops sent by Kim Jong Un to support Russian forces in their fight against Ukraine. Ukrainian media outlet LIGA reported that these North Korean troops were expected to engage in combat missions in Russia's southwestern regions, where ongoing clashes with Ukrainian forces continue.

The soldiers were reportedly set to form a "special Buryat battalion," named after the Mongolic ethnic group native to Siberia and parts of northern Mongolia and China. Both Pyongyang and Moscow have been strengthening their military cooperation, having signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership pact" earlier this year. This agreement, similar to NATO's Article 5, commits both nations to provide mutual military assistance if either is attacked.

South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun recently acknowledged the likelihood of North Korean troop involvement in the conflict, noting reports of North Korean casualties in Ukraine. Intelligence sources confirmed that six North Korean officers were killed near Donetsk on October 3, further highlighting the deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.

News.Az