South Korea claims North has sent 1,500 soldiers to Russia

By Anadolu staff

South Korea on Friday claimed that the North has sent 1,500 soldiers to Russia to support Moscow's war against Ukraine.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea said Pyongyang is planning to send around 10,000 troops to Russia, according to the Yonhap News.

In the first phase, it said, Pyongyang has transported 1,500 troops to Russia aboard Navy ships on Oct. 8-13.

The troops were moved from areas near the North Korean cities of Chongjin, Hamhung and Musudan to the Russian city of Vladivostok, the intelligence agency said, adding that it expects that a second phase of transport will occur soon.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also claimed that Russia was preparing to deploy 10,000 North Korean soldiers in the fight against Kyiv.

North Korea has not yet commented on the claims.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid