Hundreds of North Korean Drone Operators Deploying to Russia to Support War Effort

Military Watch Magazine Editorial Staff

August-23rd-2026

Korean People’s Army Personnel in the Russian Kursk Region

The Korean People’s Army is reportedly sending a specialised contingent of drone operators to Russia, potentially marking a significant expansion of North Korea’s direct involvement in the ongoing Russian war effort in the Ukrainian theatre. Ukrainian intelligence officials reported that among the estimated 8,500 North Korean military personnel in Russia, around 400 were drone operators. The latest contingent reportedly also includes approximately 1,000 engineers and sappers, most of whom are deployed in Russia’s Kursk region. 

Korean People’s Army Mine Warfare Personnel in the Russian Kursk Region - X

The deployment of drone operations marks a significant escalation of North Korea’s participation in the war effort, and closely follows reports that Korean People’s Army personnel were also manning new ballistic missile units that were being employed in the Ukrainian theatre. Ukrainian sources indicate that drones are expected to perform both reconnaissance and strike missions, potentially allowing North Korean personnel to participate directly in attacks against Ukrainian territory without crossing the border into Russia. Russia was in 2022 reported to also be receiving support from Iranian drone operators due to the large scale exports of single use attack drones from the country. 

North Korean Long Range Reconnaissance Drone - KCNA

The deployment of drone operators provides an opportunity to acquire practical experience of modern warfare, as Ukraine has become an intensive testing ground for drones, electronic warfare, precision artillery and reconnaissance systems. North Korea has already had personnel exposed to these conditions through earlier deployments. Experience gained could be transferred back to other Korean People’s Army units, potentially influencing North Korean tactics and doctrine.

Russian Geran-2 Single Use Drone and Production Facility - North Korean Workers Are Reportedly Employed Here

North Korea is reported to have provided significant support for Russia’s drone industry, with the Alabuga Factory that license produces Iranian drone designs reported in June 2025 to be receiving an influx of 25,000 North Korean industrial workers to help increase production. This corroborated prior reports from Ukrainian intelligence officials, with North Korea’s sizeable industrial workforce with high levels of technical education were expected to make this support highly prized. Russia is expected to make significant transfers of drone technologies and knowhow to its neighbour, likely to cover some of the costs of its vast defence procurements from the country. 

DAP grassroots leaders defend Rayer, hit back at critics over Perlis temple demolition

DAP grassroots leaders defend Rayer, hit back at critics over Perlis temple demolition


Published: Aug 23, 2026 2:00 PM
Updated: 6:05 PM



More than 40 DAP grassroots leaders have defended party veteran RSN Rayer, saying his call for negotiations over the demolition of a Hindu temple in Perlis should not be construed as a rejection of the rule of law.

In a joint statement today, the group led by Bagan Dalam assemblyperson Kumaran Krishnan expressed disappointment with a previous statement by 14 DAP members criticising Rayer (above) over his stance on the demolition of the Veeramakaliamman Temple at Bukit Lagi, Kangar.

Kumaran and 42 leaders from various party branches questioned why the criticism of Rayer had been aired publicly instead of through the party's internal channels.

“We can have differences of opinion. That is normal in a democratic party.

"But is openly attacking our own colleagues and leaders the best way to resolve those differences?” they asked.

They cautioned that publicly attacking fellow party members could provide ammunition to political opponents and create an impression of division within DAP.

kt note: Hope Guanee takes note of this advice, wakakaka 😂😂😂

Yesterday, the 14 DAP members said dialogue should be encouraged to find the best solution, but unlawful activities should not be condoned.

They also stressed that no one was above the law and said party leaders should verify the facts and take an impartial position when community interests conflict with legal requirements.

The temple in Bukit Lagi, Kangar


The 14 included Selangor DAP Youth vice chief Nur Rahim Nasir, DAP branch leaders Shakir Ameer Mohideen (Setia Impian), Farhan Haziq (Bandar Baru Bangi), Abdul Majid Abd Aziz (Pekan Paloh), Nor Miswary Ramli (Pusat Bandar Shah Alam), Izzul Afiq (Taman Kemuncak), Aslam Ahmad Ramli (Kampung Tunku SS1), and Aldrin Ng (Kampung Baru Pasir Pinji), as well as former Dusun Tua assemblyperson Edry Faizal Yusof.

While their statement did not name Rayer, several of the signatories confirmed to Malaysiakini that it was linked to the Jelutong MP's condemnation of the state government for demolishing the temple after it was found to have been built on government land without a permit.

Negotiations, solution sought

Commenting further, the group led by Kumaran said that Rayer had not asked for the law to be disregarded, but had sought negotiations and a solution before action was taken against the temple.

"He spoke for a community that needed someone to speak on its behalf,” they said.

READ MORE: 'Demanding accountability is not incitement': Senator backs Rayer in Perlis temple row

They added that DAP's commitment to the rule of law should not prevent room for negotiation and compassion.

“The rule of law is not a licence for those in power to bully the weak or minorities. The law must be implemented fairly, reasonably, and with due process in mind.

"In sensitive issues such as houses of worship, negotiation and efforts to find a solution should come first before taking irreversible action,” they said.

On Aug 20, Rayer described the demolition as deeply regrettable and warned that Malaysians should not allow Perikatan Nasional to take federal power, describing the coalition as "insensitive and inconsiderate towards a plural society, other ethnic groups, and religions".

Perlis exco Izizam Ibrahim


The PN-led Perlis administration has since defended its action, with exco Izizam Ibrahim saying the state government held several engagement sessions with the temple management committee before the demolition and advised it to find a suitable alternative site.

Rayer's statement has also drawn criticism from political figures within Pakatan Harapan and its federal ally, Umno.

***

This issue is no longer legal-politics but racial-religious - sad lah! 😥😥😥

 

Tan Chee Khoon’s legacy shows politics need not be race-based, says Jomo

Tan Chee Khoon’s legacy shows politics need not be race-based, says Jomo

2 hours ago

Elill Easwaran

The economist says Malaysia’s political history has overlooked a pan-ethnic tradition that once brought people together across racial and party lines.

Tan Chee Khoon, who died in 1996 aged 80, was an opposition politician known for his outspoken views, simple lifestyle, and commitment to his political ideals. (Wikipedia pic)

KUALA LUMPUR:

Tan Chee Khoon’s legacy should inspire Malaysian youths to recognise that politics can be organised around ideas, reforms and common interests rather than ethnicity, says economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram.

Jomo Kwame Sundaram.

Speaking at a public forum marking 30 years since the death of the former opposition leader, Jomo said Malaysia’s political landscape had once been very different, with debates centred on competing ideas and visions for the country.

Jomo said Tan, who was involved with the (now defunct) Labour Party from its early days, was part of a broader progressive movement that was not defined by race.

“It was a different time which had different politics. The politics and the debates (then) were about different ideas and views of the world going forward,” he said.

“The opposition at that time was of a different character. The debates were about a different conception of the nation, and Tan was very much part of it,” he said.

According to Jomo, the strength of the left-wing movement before and after independence was often overlooked in Malaysia’s historical narrative.

He said one-third of workers in the country had once belonged to left-wing parties before such parties were banned in 1947 and 1948.

He also cited the 1958 local elections, when the Socialist Front won in Penang, and the 1962 election in Brunei, in which Parti Rakyat Brunei won 54 of 55 seats.

Jomo said Tan was one of only two Socialist Front MPs elected in the 1964 general election, at a time when many of his political comrades had been arrested and detained.

He said the repression of the Labour Party, Parti Rakyat Brunei and other progressive forces in the 1960s eventually changed the character of Malaysian politics.

Jomo said the period of repression in the mid-to-late 1960s was a decisive turning point.

“The point is that we basically see this era of politics intimately associated not only with Tan’s political career and political life, but basically that whole era was gone.

“By 1969, such politics was gone, and the politics of race was born.”

He said the shift towards ethnic politics should not be viewed as something that had always defined Malaysian politics, pointing out that most Malays in Peninsular Malaysia voted for the opposition in the 1969 elections.

Jomo also argued that this part of the country’s history had not been adequately reflected in official narratives, saying the way Malaysian history was subsequently presented had reinforced ethnic politics among successive generations.

“I’m sorry to tell you all this… (but) this history is not in the textbooks. This is not the history we know,” he said.

“This is extremely important for us to recognise and to remind ourselves that a full appreciation of Tan and what he stood for reminds us very profoundly that Malaysian politics used to involve a whole range of other issues.

“And most importantly, it was pan-ethnic. It was not as ethnicised in the way it has become.”

Jomo said a fuller appreciation of Tan’s political legacy would remind Malaysians that the country’s politics had once encompassed a much wider range of issues, urging the younger generation to build on that legacy.

Tan, who died in 1996 aged 80, was a medical doctor and an opposition politician known for his outspoken views, simple lifestyle and commitment to his political ideals.

He won the Batu parliamentary seat in the 1964 general election by just two votes after six recounts, becoming one of only two Socialist Front MPs elected that year.

He later helped form Gerakan, which he envisioned as a truly multiracial party.

Tan later became a prominent columnist with his “Without Fear or Favour” column, which provided a platform for dissenting views.