South Korean intelligence authorities say North Korea has recently decided to send some 12-thousand troops in support of Russia’s war effort against Ukraine. 

The National Intelligence Service released a statement on Friday saying that it has assessed that North Korea has already begun moving troops from four brigades, including its special forces.

North Korea has never before deployed ground troops of such scale.

The spy agency says North Korea sent ahead some 15-hundred special forces troops aboard Russian vessels to Vladivostok starting Oct. 8 for training and that they have been issued Russian identification. It added that Pyongyang is preparing to send another group very soon.