North Korea may send kamikaze drones and additional troops to Russia, says Seoul
Photo: North Korea may send new troops to Russia and supply kamikaze drones (Getty Images)
North Korea is likely preparing to deploy additional troops in Russia and provide the Kremlin with military equipment, including kamikaze drones. The Kremlin will use this contingent and weapons provided by Pyongyang in its war against Ukraine, reports Yonhap News Agency.
The assessment by South Korean intelligence services was made in connection with Seoul's information about North Korea sending thousands of soldiers to Russia, which is conducting a large-scale military aggression against Ukraine. It also takes into account the casualties among North Korean soldiers during the fighting.
According to South Korea's intelligence agency, the number of casualties among North Korean military personnel is currently estimated at approximately 1,100.
"A comprehensive assessment of multiple intelligence shows that North Korea is preparing to rotate or increase the deployment of troops (in Russia) while currently supplying 240-millimeter rocket launchers and 170 mm self-propelled artillery," said the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea (JCS) in a statement on Monday, December 23.
The South Korean Ministry of Defense also reported "some signs" that North Korea is moving towards producing and supplying kamikaze drones, which were "first unveiled during Kim Jong-un's on-site inspection."
The Joint Chiefs of Staff explained that this step reflects Pyongyang's efforts to gain practical combat experience and modernize its conventional weapons systems.
Last month, North Korean state media reported that Kim Jong Un observed on-site tests of various types of kamikaze drones.
The North Korean leader also called for mass production of this type of weapon, which is becoming increasingly important in modern warfare due to its cost-effectiveness.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the test of kamikaze drones on November 14 (photo: Yonhap)
DPRK's aid to Russia in the war against Ukraine
Russia has been actively strengthening its military and economic ties with North Korea, which began supplying Moscow with ammunition and missiles last year. In early summer, the dictators of both countries, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, signed an agreement on a comprehensive strategic partnership.
According to Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in December, Russia has already used about 60 North Korean-produced KN-23 ballistic missiles in its strikes on Ukraine.
In the fall, it became known that North Korea had sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia. A portion of them has already been deployed in the Kursk region, where North Korean soldiers are fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine's Defense Forces.
On December 18, Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, reported that North Korean casualties in the Kursk region have already exceeded 200.
On December 19, British intelligence reported significant North Korean casualties in the Kursk region.
On December 20, South Korea's intelligence stated that at least 100 North Korean soldiers had been killed in Russia, and another 1,000 had been injured during clashes with Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon estimates that the losses of the North Korean contingent have already reached "several hundred." The US Department of Defense predicts that these numbers will continue to rise.
Additionally, on December 21, Defense Express reported that Russia may have received ballistic missiles from North Korea with a range of over 1,000 kilometers. A recent video surfaced online showing another convoy of weaponry and military equipment from North Korea in the Tyumen region.
