Russian authorities have arrested 18 North Korean soldiers who left their positions in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent on October 21.

Moscow’s ally Pyongyang is preparing to send around 11,000 troops early next month to support Russia’s war against Ukraine, Kiev said, adding that some had already arrived.

Eighteen of them had left their positions in Russian regions near the Ukrainian border, Suspilne reported on October 15, citing unnamed intelligence officials.

Hromadske, citing a military intelligence source, reported that around 40 North Korean soldiers had arrived in Russia to exchange skills with their Russian counterparts.

After training, the 18 North Koreans were left in a forest in Kursk Oblast for several days without food or instructions, leading to them leaving their post on October 14 to seek out the Russian command.

Two days later, the missing soldiers were found and detained by Russian authorities about 60 kilometers (nearly 40 miles) from their original position, Hromadske wrote.

South Korea confirmed the transfer of North Korean military personnel to Russia, calling it a “serious security threat.” U.S. Intelligence Committee Chairman Michael R. Turner said such a move must represent a “red line for the United States and NATO.”

A video that appeared online on October 18 purported to show North Korean soldiers receiving equipment at a Russian military camp and preparing for deployment against Ukraine.

Russia and North Korea have deepened their cooperation during the all-out war, with Moscow receiving large packages of artillery shells and ballistic missiles.

North Korean troops could be used in the Russian war in Ukraine

Russia’s war in Ukraine may have reached a new stage this week after reports that North Korea has switched from supplying weapons to Moscow to sending its own troops. A Western diplomat familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent on October 15 that Pyongyang had sent 10,000 troops there