**Ukrainian Intelligence Intercepts Calls Indicating Challenges in Russia's Integration of North Korean Troops**

Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Agency claims it has intercepted phone calls revealing significant disorganization within the Russian military as it attempts to incorporate North Korean troops into its ranks. These interceptions, involving Russian forces in the Kursk region—an area close to Ukraine's northern border where Ukrainian forces had made gains in August—highlight mounting difficulties.

The intelligence agency divulged that Russia assigned one translator and three Russian servicemembers to every 30 North Korean soldiers. However, intercepted calls suggest widespread doubts among Russian soldiers about having sufficient commanders to lead these new units or the necessary weapons and ammunition, as Moscow's invasion stretches into its 979th day. In one conversation supposedly recorded in Kursk, a soldier expressed his frustration with a commander's order to allocate Russian armored vehicles, already in limited supply, to the newly arrived North Korean troops. "I want to kill him today, yes, after the Koreans," exclaimed one soldier in the recordings.

Other intercepted conversations revealed additional issues, including a shortage of translators, prompting some Russian soldiers to take on translation tasks themselves. The audio also captured derogatory remarks about the Korean troops, with one soldier crudely referring to them as "Chinese." Further complicating coordination efforts, Russian police allegedly intercepted a truck transporting North Korean soldiers to Kursk due to the driver lacking a "combat order."

This development comes amid a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, aimed at bolstering ties and sharing intelligence concerning the approximately 12,000 North Korean troops expected to move to Russian bases. Zelenskyy indicated future plans for Ukraine and South Korea to exchange delegations.

Meanwhile, North Korea's foreign minister arrived in eastern Russia and is scheduled to travel to Moscow for her second visit within six weeks, as reported by Russian state media. The Kremlin announced that President Vladimir Putin does not currently plan to meet her. According to the Pentagon, around 10,000 North Korean troops are now stationed at military posts in Russia's eastern region, with potential deployment to Kursk in the coming weeks. This marks an increase from an estimate of 3,000 troops made just last week. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh expressed concerns about Russia's intentions to use these soldiers in combat or to support combat operations against Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk Oblast near the Ukrainian border.