Putin turns Kim’s troops into new drone force for Ukraine? 400 N. Korean UAV operators reach Russia

North Korea has reportedly deployed about 400 drone operators to Russia as part of an estimated 8,500-strong military contingent, deepening Pyongyang’s role in Moscow’s war effort. Ukrainian military intelligence says most of the force is in Russia’s Kursk region and includes roughly 1,000 engineers and deminers; the drone teams could conduct reconnaissance and strike missions against Ukraine from Russian territory. The claims have not been independently verified, but the deployment could give North Korean personnel crucial experience in modern drone warfare. It follows reports that Pyongyang was considering sending up to 25,000 workers to Russia’s Alabuga drone-production hub in exchange for drone-operations training.