A group of North Korean soldiers have been spotted in Russia’s Kursk region, an area of ongoing military operations, Ukraine’s military intelligence service announced Thursday.

After receiving training in Russia’s far east, some troops have now made their way to the western Russia region where Ukraine has maintained a strong foothold since launching an incursion in August.

In a post on its official Telegram account, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine said the troops had been spotted in Kursk on Wednesday.

The intelligence service said the roughly 12,000 North Korean soldiers that have been deployed to Russia are receiving training at five military training grounds in the east.

Thursday’s 12,000 figure is larger than had been previously been flagged by US officials. On Wednesday, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at least 3,000 North Korean soldiers arrived in eastern Russia this month.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Ukraine had intelligence about Russia “training two military units from North Korea” involving perhaps “two brigades of 6,000 people each.”

Ukrainian intelligence services said Thursday that “several weeks” have been allocated for the coordination of the North Korean troops which includes 500 officers and three generals.

Moscow ‘in contact’ with Pyongyang

Ukraine had repeatedly warned that warming relations between Russia and North Korea could see Pyeongyang taking a more direct role in the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin did nothing to dispel this suspicion when questioned by journalists at the BRICS summit on Thursday, saying Russia is currently “in contact” with North Korea.

“We have never doubted that the North Korean leadership takes our agreements seriously,” Putin told the press conference in Kazan, Russia.

“But what and how we will do is our business,” he added.

Putin’s Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov has been tasked with overseeing the troop’s training, the Ukrainian intelligence service said.

The soldiers are thought to have received ammunition, bedding, winter clothing and footwear, and hygiene products from the Russian authorities, the Ukrainian intelligence service reported.