The North Korean military is already present in the occupied city of Mariupol and in the territories of Kharkiv region captured by Russia. This was reported by CNN referencing a source within the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
According to the informant, "technical advisers" have arrived in Mariupol, but the purpose of their visit remains unclear. Although the North Koreans have been dressed in Russian military uniforms, they remain separated from the Russian units with which they interact.
"While other foreign fighters in the Russian ranks have mingled with the units, the North Koreans are kept apart - they have their own accommodations, food, music, and films," the source added.
North Korean troops have also been spotted in the Kharkiv region. According to Evgeny Romanov, a representative of the military unit consolidation in Kharkiv, radio intercepts indicate the presence of Koreans.
"I see that they are forming into units, strengthening their combat formations, and accumulating a small number of forces at the front. They are waiting for the weather to worsen, as it is the best time for the enemy to initiate assault operations," added Nazar Kysak, commander of the combined unit of the 153rd Separate Mechanized Brigade.
The source also reported that recent Ukrainian missile strikes on Russian territory were aimed at a high-ranking North Korean general, but it remains unclear whether he was killed in the attack.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine struck a bunker with generals
As reported by UNIAN, on the afternoon of November 20, the Armed Forces of Ukraine delivered a powerful strike with Storm Shadow missiles on a target in the Kursk region. Approximately a dozen missiles were used in total.
Analysts believe that the use of such a large number of scarce missiles indicates a high priority target. In particular, there were suggestions that the strike was aimed at a bunker where Russian and North Korean generals might have been located.
The following day, The Wall Street Journal reported that as a result of this missile strike in the Kursk region, a high-ranking North Korean general was injured.