### Ukrainian Troops Clash with North Korean Forces Along Russian Border

Ukrainian soldiers faced off against North Korean troops on Monday near the Russian border, marking the first such encounter since North Korean forces were dispatched to support Russian troops in the Kursk region, officials reported. Andriy Kovalenko from Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council indicated that a number of the 10,000 North Korean soldiers sent to Russia are now operating in Kursk, an area where Ukraine has regained control of several cities following a surprise counter-invasion earlier this year.

"The first North Korean troops have already come under fire in the Kursk region," Kovalenko stated on Telegram without providing additional details. This development comes shortly after intelligence from the US, NATO, and South Korea warned that North Korean soldiers had been sent to the frontlines following a brief period of training in Russia. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had earlier cautioned that Russia might deploy North Korean soldiers in Kursk following significant setbacks in the region suffered by Moscow after Ukraine's August incursion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed he was receiving updates on the situation in Kursk, emphasizing his forces' resolve. "We are working and we will be destroying the Russians, the North Korean soldiers and anyone who will threaten Ukraine," stated Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's military, on Telegram.

The involvement of North Korean troops in Russia was also a key topic in a meeting between South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. They expressed serious concerns over the deployment, suggesting it could create significant political leverage for Kim Jong Un over the Kremlin. They warned, "We are also deeply concerned about the possibility of any transfer of nuclear- or ballistic missile-related technology to the DPRK, which would jeopardize international non-proliferation efforts and threaten peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and across the globe." The deployment was also described as a blatant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

While neither North Korea nor Russia have officially confirmed these military movements, Russian state media reported a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui on Monday.