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Thousands of North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Kursk, a Russian province partly occupied by Ukraine, ahead of a predicted counteroffensive by Moscow. The troops, from an elite unit of the Korean People's Army, have not yet engaged in combat with Russian forces but are expected to play a significant role in Moscow's campaign to reclaim approximately 400 square miles of territory captured by Ukraine in a surprise incursion in August.

North Korean forces began arriving in Kursk on Wednesday, following weeks of warnings from Ukraine and South Korea about their imminent deployment. Estimates suggest that up to 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been dispatched to the region. Video footage posted on Telegram shows these troops at a military training site in Sergeyevka, in Russia's Far East region.

A Ukrainian official indicated that around 5,000 North Korean soldiers are expected to converge in Kursk by Monday. However, it remains uncertain whether more troops will join the fight in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cited intelligence reports, suggesting that North Korean troops could be deployed to the battlefield in Kursk as soon as Sunday. He described this move as a "clear escalation by Russia."

Despite holding the majority of the territory seized during their August operation, Ukraine faces ongoing challenges from Russian forces. Russia has reclaimed around 150 square miles of the contested area this month. The incursion into Kursk has not successfully diverted Russian efforts from the eastern Donbas region, where Moscow has made gradual advances.

Ukraine has effectively utilized drones to inflict significant damage on Russian forces, shaping the course of the nearly three-year conflict. Although Western allies have restricted Ukraine from using provided weaponry to target deep inside Russian territory, Ukraine has conducted long-range strikes using its drones and missiles, hitting key missile storage facilities and strategic fuel reservoirs within Russia.