Russian instructors have trained North Korean military units to operate FPV drones, which have been used in reconnaissance operations and artillery fire adjustments in the Sumy region, eastern Ukraine.
Intercepted conversations between North Korean operators and the Russian military confirm the direct coordination of these troops on the battlefield.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the North Korean military operates from the Kursk region in Russia and their main mission is to identify positions of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, transmitting coordinates for Russian troops to carry out more accurate attacks. The involvement of these foreign forces highlights the shortage of trained personnel in the Russian army and the difficulties in conducting offensives in this area.
Ukraine considers the participation of foreign forces to be a serious violation of international law and documents all such cases to forward to partners and international agencies. South Korean estimates suggest that around 2,000 North Korean soldiers have already died in the conflict alongside Russia.
The military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang is part of an agreement signed in 2024 that includes mutual defense and strengthens the strategic partnership between the two authoritarian regimes.
Source: Militarnyi | Photo: X @jurgen_nauditt | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
North Korean drone operators are directing Russian strikes in the Sumy direction, the General Staff reports.
Operating from Russia’s Kursk region, North Korean units are conducting reconnaissance and helping target Ukrainian positions in the Sumy region.
The Defense Forces… pic.twitter.com/AgOkqBA34f
— Jürgen Nauditt 🇩🇪🇺🇦 (@jurgen_nauditt) October 16, 2025
