[arista]

Ukraine says it fought North Korean troops for first time


[North Korean soldiers have clashed with
Ukrainian troops for the first time,
Ukraine's top officials have revealed.

In an interview with South Korean
broadcaster KBS, Ukrainian Defence Minister
Rustem Umerov said a "small group"
of North Korean soldiers were attacked.
US officials told the Reuters news agency
that North Korean troops were engaged
in combat in the Kursk region
of Russia on 4 November.
Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky,
who had earlier condemned the West's lack
of response to the North Korean troops,
said these "first battles with North Korea
open a new chapter of instability in the world".

Seoul, however, said it "does not believe
[troops on both sides] engaged in
direct combat", but that there was
an "incident" involving a small number
of North Korean soldiers "near the frontline".

Ukraine says an estimated 11,000 North Korean
soldiers were in the Kursk border region,
where Ukrainian troops have a foothold.
In recent weeks, South Korean and US intelligence
as well as Nato have said that they have
seen evidence of North Korean troops
being involved in Russia's war.

But Moscow and Pyongyang have
so far not responded directly to any
of the allegations.]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c14le0p4310o