South Korean and American intelligence services have confirmed the participation of North Korean soldiers in hostilities in Russia, particularly in the Kursk oblast.

Source: ISW

Details: South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported on November 13 that North Korean troops were participating in hostilities in Russia, having been trained and gradually deployed to the battlefield over the past two weeks. This fact was also confirmed by American intelligence services.

Quote: “US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a press briefing on November 12 that more than 10,000 North Korean troops were deployed in eastern Russia, most of them are now moved to western Kursk Oblast where they have begun engaging in combat operations with Russian forces.”

Map: ISW

To cite the key points of the ISW of November 13:

• The Kremlin is attempting to dictate the terms of any possible “peace” negotiations with Ukraine before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. The manner in which the Kremlin is trying to set the terms of the negotiations clearly indicates that Russia’s goals remain unchanged and still amount to a complete capitulation of Ukraine. The Kremlin appears no more willing to make concessions to the new Trump administration than it was to the current administration.

• Lavrov’s preemptive rejection of the potential suggestion to freeze the current front line further indicates that Russia is not interested in softening its approach or demands in the negotiations and maintains its goal of full surrender of Ukraine, which Russian leader Vladimir Putin explicitly pointed out June 2024.

• Ukrainian security services reportedly assassinated a Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) official in occupied Crimea on November 13.

• Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Russian oil executives have reportedly rejected a proposal to merge Russia’s three largest oil companies. Conflicting reports about Russia’s proposed oil merger highlight a possible factional struggle between those close to Putin and Russia’s energy executives.

• South Korean and U.S. intelligence services separately confirmed that North Korean troops deployed into combat alongside Russian forces in Kursk Oblast.

• Russian forces have recently advanced near Toretsk, Kurakhove and Vuhledar and into the border areas of Donetsk Zaporizhzhia oblasts; Ukrainian forces recently resumed their positions near Chasiv Yar.

• Russian forces continue to rely heavily on refurbished tanks and armored vehicles removed from storage to replace vehicles lost during ongoing combat operations, but will likely not be able to sustain these losses in the long term .

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