❌ North Korea has sent 8,500 new soldiers, including 400 drone operators, to Russia, according to Skibitsky, head of Ukrainian intelligence, in an interview with CNN.

The drone units are expected to carry out reconnaissance operations and attacks on targets inside Ukraine from Russian territory.

The rest of the forces include 1,000 engineers and pilots (Shield) to strengthen rear positions in Russia’s Kursk region.

Nearly 25,000 North Koreans have been traveling to and from Russia since October 2024.

Ukrainian intelligence expects Putin to raise a request for the deployment of up to an additional 50,000 soldiers when he meets Kim Jong-un in September.

Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea’s leader, called such claims “baseless.”