Budanov: First North Korean troops to arrive in Kursk region on October 23

The first North Korean troops are expected to arrive in Russia's Kursk region on October 23, said Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence (DIU), in an interview with The War Zone.

He added that the North Korean soldiers would assist Russian forces in countering Ukrainian operations in the Kursk region.

"We expect the first units to arrive tomorrow in the Kursk direction," Budanov said.

He noted that it's currently unclear how many soldiers will be sent or what equipment they will have.

Earlier on October 22, South Korean media outlet Yonhap reported that the country might consider providing Ukraine with weapons or sending intelligence personnel in response to North Korea's actions.

Meanwhile, in his evening address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has intelligence indicating that two North Korean military units are being prepared for the war, which could consist of brigades with up to 6,000 troops each.