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North Korean troops in Russia: what was known
Summary
A look back at the reports on North Korea's role in the war that had emerged by 22 October 2024.
What did governments and intelligence services say about North Korea's role in the war in Ukraine by 22 October 2024? Within a week, the picture had moved from a claim by Kyiv to a public assessment from Seoul.
On 16 October 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said North Korea had become directly involved in the war. A senior Ukrainian intelligence official said around 3,000 North Korean troops were in Russia, training for deployment to Russian-occupied territories.
Two days later, on 18 October, South Korea's National Intelligence Service said North Korea had started sending troops to fight with Russia in Ukraine. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called a security meeting and said the international community must respond with "all available means".
Western military support
On 16 October, the same day as Zelenskyy's remarks, U.S. President Joe Biden announced a new $425 million military aid package for Ukraine. It contained long-range weaponry.
A separate Russian link in Sudan
Russia was also in the news on 21 October 2024 in connection with another conflict. An Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane crashed in North Darfur, Sudan, killing its crew of two Russians and three Sudanese nationals. The Rapid Support Forces claimed they had shot the aircraft down with a surface-to-air missile and said they had recovered its flight recorder. Russia said its diplomats in Sudan were investigating the crash.
