North Korea has begun deploying troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.

According to the BBC, South Korea’s intelligence agency confirmed and said around 500 North Korean soldiers have already arrived, and up to 12,000 could follow, prompting Seoul to warn of a “grave security threat.” 

On Thursday, Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, stated that nearly 11,000 North Korean infantry troops are undergoing training in eastern Russia to participate in the conflict in Ukraine. 

“They will be ready to fight in Ukraine by November 1,” said Mr Budanov, who leads the Ukrainian Defence Intelligence Directorate, in an interview with The Warzone website.

He noted that these North Korean soldiers would be equipped with Russian weapons and ammunition, with the first contingent of 2,600 troops expected to be deployed to Russia’s western Kursk region, an area that Ukraine has secured following its incursion in August.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also revealed intelligence predicting significant North Korean involvement in the conflict.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol responded by calling an emergency meeting, urging the international community to act. 

The development underscores growing cooperation between Russia and North Korea, which has also been supplying ammunition to Russian forces.

The alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang has intensified recently, highlighted by Kim Jong Un’s close relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Mr Kim’s recent birthday message to Mr Putin, where he called him his “closest comrade,” signals deepening ties that may further complicate the global response to the war in Ukraine.

The presence of North Korean troops marks a new chapter in the conflict.