The first combat encounter has occurred between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and North Korean soldiers – Umerov

Ukrainian defenders have already engaged in a skirmish with North Korean soldiers deployed to russia, though it was not large-scale. According to RBC-Ukraine, this was stated by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in an interview with KBS.

The defense minister noted that this encounter could be considered the official beginning of North Korea's involvement in the war against Ukraine. However, Umerov clarified that North Korean soldiers' participation in battles is not yet systematic.

According to the defense minister, because North Korean troops were disguised as Buryats and integrated with russian occupiers, the exact number of casualties and prisoners needs verification before making precise statements.

"We are recording contacts with North Korean forces, but we believe there will be more encounters in the coming weeks, and we will assess and analyze them accordingly", - the official emphasized.

He mentioned that along the front line, which spans roughly 1,500 kilometers, five North Korean battalions are expected to operate, each consisting of around 3,000 troops. This would bring the number of North Koreans in the Kursk oblast up to 15,000.

"The duration of russian training exercises was previously about a month, but now it’s shortened to several days or a week to allow North Korean forces to join combat operations", - Umerov added.

Recall that on November 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that there are already 11,000 North Korean soldiers in the Kursk oblast.