North Korean officials in Russian uniforms present in Mariupol, security source says

North Korean technical advisers have arrived in the Russian-occupied port city of Mariupol, a Ukrainian security source told CNN Friday.

The purpose of their visit was unclear, the source said, adding they wore Russian uniforms. Their arrival expands the presence of the Russian ally across the front line.

The North Korean troops in Mariupol remain detached from the Russian units they are supporting, the source said. While other foreign fighters in Russian ranks blended into the units, the source added, the North Koreans are kept separate — with their own quarters, food, music and films.

The source also said that recent Ukrainian missile strikes inside Russia had targeted a senior North Korean general, yet it remained unclear if the commander has been killed.

Remember: An estimated 11,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukraine holds territory after a surprise counteroffensive in the summer.