Satellite images show North Korean special forces sent to Russia disguised as Russian soldiers with fake IDs, South Korean spies say

• North Korea has sent 1,500 special forces troops to Russia, according to South Korea’s spy agency.
• The troops are training ahead of an expected Ukraine war deployment.
• Satellite images published by Seoul are said to show the North Korean special forces at bases in eastern Russia.

North Korea has sent around 1,500 special forces troops to Russia for combat training before an expected Ukraine war deployment, South Korea’s spy agency said Friday.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, or NIS, said it observed North Korea moving special forces to eastern Russia between October 8 and 13, essentially marking the start of Pyongyang’s military involvement in the Ukraine war.

North Korea has sent weapons, including short-range missiles and artillery ammunition, to Russia during the conflict, but sending troops would be a new development. Ukraine said earlier this week that thousands of troops are gearing up to fight for Moscow.

The NIS said that North Korean military officers visited missile launch sites near the war’s front lines in August. However, earlier this month, Pyongyang ferried around 1,500 special forces to military bases in eastern Russia, with a second transport operation scheduled for the near future.

Satellite images captured this week and published by the NIS are said to show hundreds of North Korean troops at two of the bases in Russia. South Korea said that the soldiers were outfitted with Russian military uniforms and weapons and were also given fake IDs saying they are residents of Siberia.

The NIS said the point was to disguise the North Korean troops as Russian soldiers to conceal their deployment and added that they are expected to be sent to the front lines after they finish training.

If North Korean forces are confirmed to be fighting in Ukraine, it would mark the country’s first major involvement in a conflict since the 1950s Korean War. The development raises questions about how its troops would actually perform in battle and whether they’re prepared for the highly technical characteristics of the war.

Western officials have not provided separate assessments matching the South Korean intelligence. A Pentagon spokesperson said he’s seen reports about North Korean forces deploying to the war but can’t confirm or corroborate them.

“If true, that would demonstrate an increase in the cooperation between Russia and North Korea,” Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters at a Thursday briefing. He said it would demonstrate the “dire” situation Russia finds itself in regarding “its forces on the battlefield.”

“As you’ve heard us recently say, the casualties that Russia is experiencing on the front lines are extremely significant, upwards of 600,000 killed or wounded,” he added.

The NIS has a mixed record when it comes to its assessments of the highly secretive North Korea. Russia has denied claims that Pyongyang’s troops are fighting on behalf of the country.

The new developments come as North Korea and Russia have strengthened their defense ties during the Ukraine war, with the two countries signing a pact in June that pledges military assistance if either is attacked.

North Korea has been providing Russia with weapons throughout the war. On Friday, the NIS said it assessed that Pyongyang has sent Moscow missiles, artillery shells, and anti-tank rockets in dozens of deliveries since August 2023.

Ukraine has noted the use of North Korean weapons against civilian targets, and Kyiv has even used long-range drones to strike arsenals inside Russia where munitions sent by Pyongyang were determined to be stored.

Beyond North Korea, Russia has also turned to fellow pariah state Iran for military assistance during the Ukraine war. Tehran has provided Moscow with lethal attack drones and, more recently, short-range ballistic missiles.