Russia Dismisses 'Fake' Reports Of North Koreans Fighting Its War In Ukraine

If North Korean troops are on the ground, it would mark the first time a foreign government has sent troops in uniform to support Moscow’s war front

After reports claimed that North Korean military engineers have been deployed to help Russia target Ukraine and its fighters are operating in occupied areas of the country, the Kremlin has dismissed the claim, calling it a 'fake news story'. 

"This seems like yet another fake news story," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. 

The comment came after several news reports claimed that six North Korean troops were killed in a Ukrainian missile attack on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk last week. Quoting a source in Ukraine, the Guardian reported that there are dozens of North Koreans behind Russian lines, in teams that “support launcher systems for KN-23 missiles”. 

On Tuesday, South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun told lawmakers that the report was probably correct. "We assess that the occurrence of casualties among North Korean officers and soldiers in Ukraine is highly likely, considering various circumstances," he said.

"The issue of deploying regular troops is highly likely due to the mutual agreements that resemble a military alliance between Russia and North Korea," Kim added.

Foreigners have fought as mercenaries for Russia. However, if North Korean troops are on the ground, it would mark the first time a foreign government has sent troops in uniform to support Moscow’s war front.

As per the AFP report, the head of Ukraine's centre for countering disinformation, Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko wrote on Telegram on Saturday that there were "small numbers of combat engineers" from North Korea in the Donetsk region combat zone. He said Kyiv was monitoring the use of Pyongyang's ammunition, which he claimed Russia was increasingly dependent upon but is of "low quality"--as are North Korean missiles.

Experts have long said North Korean missiles are being deployed in Ukraine by Russian forces -- something both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied. South Korea also claims Pyongyang has sent thousands of containers of weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine. 

The nuclear-armed North has publicly bolstered military ties with Moscow in recent years. President Vladimir Putin made a rare visit to Pyongyang in June, where he signed a mutual defence agreement with leader Kim Jong Un.

Pyongyang’s ammunition shipments were vital in allowing Russian forces to advance in a grinding war of attrition in eastern Ukraine this summer. But if the reports are to be believed, the agreement went beyond supplying material.