Kiev, 5 November 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Some 11,000 North Korean soldiers have already arrived in the Russian border area of Kursk, according to Kiev on Monday, amid fears they are to be deployed in Ukraine.

"We see an increase in the number of North Koreans, but we see no increase in the response of our partners. Unfortunately," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening video message.

He said the information was based on findings from the Ukrainian intelligence services.

Kiev assumes the North Korean soldiers will soon be deployed by Russia against Ukraine, though UN diplomats have also said they could be deployed behind the front line to carry out logistical tasks, for example.

It remains unclear whether the North Korean soldiers could be deployed to fight on Ukrainian territory or in areas of Russia occupied by Ukraine, which includes parts of Kursk.

Pentagon says up to 12,000 North Korean troops in Russia

The United States estimates there are as many as 12,000 North Korean troops in Russia, with 10,000 of those in the Kursk region.

"Should these troops engage in combat support operations against Ukraine, they would become legitimate military targets," Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said on Monday, echoing comments made last week by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

He said the Pentagon was "looking into" reports about alleged North Korean combat operations.

The troops from Pyongyang arrived in Russia last month, officials have said. Moscow's forces have been training them in infantry and artillery tactics, trench clearing and operating drones, the US has stated. The Russians have provided the North Korean troops with Russian uniforms and equipment.

"All indications are that they will provide some type of combat or combat support capability," Ryder said in a statement.

"We would fully expect that the Ukrainians would do what they need to do to defend themselves and their personnel."

Ukrainian advances in to Kursk

Zelensky described the Ukrainian advance into Kursk, which began in August, as a success, saying a "protection zone" had been created along the Russian-Ukrainian border and new Russian prisoners have been taken for potential future exchanges.

In the incursion, Ukrainian forces seized a large tract of Russia, apparently in the hope that the Russians would divert forces from the eastern front in Donetsk and Luhansk.

"This has greatly helped in the liberation of our people from Russian captivity," Zelensky said.

Western countries have described the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russia as a massive escalation of the conflict.

That comes as observers say the Ukrainian army is suffering ever greater losses of life and material in its operations on Russian territory.

Putin welcomes North Korean minister

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin met North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui in the Kremlin for talks.

"Today is a national holiday for us, and meeting with good friends on holidays is a good tradition," Putin said in greeting. The Kremlin did not disclose any details of their discussion.

North Korea supports Moscow in the Russian war on Ukraine, launched in 2022. Choe was last a guest in the Kremlin in January.

On Friday, Choe told her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that North Korea would help Russia in the war until victory.

On Monday she delivered greetings from ruler Kim Jong Un to Putin. North Korea is internationally isolated because of its nuclear weapons tests. North Korea has also been widely criticized for supplying weapons to Russia. Russia, in turn, is subject to sanctions due to its war on Ukraine.

Putin and Kim signed a treaty on a strategic partnership between the two countries during a visit to North Korea this summer, which also provides for mutual military assistance. The Russian president recently said that the details of the deal still had to be clarified.

MIA file photo