Russia and North Korea have secret clause in their military cooperation agreement - WSJ
Russia and North Korea had a secret clause in their joint agreement, which involved North Korea sending a thousand soldiers to Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal informs.
As reported by the media outlet, Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to North Korea in June this year to work out the details of a military cooperation agreement. At that time, Pyongyang was allegedly ready to offer artillery shells in exchange for food and fuel.
However, the agreement also included a secret clause allowing North Korea to send an initial wave of approximately 1,000 North Korean soldiers to Ukraine to learn firsthand how to conduct warfare from Russia’s experience.
According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), most of these North Korean soldiers are currently stationed at a safe distance from the front lines. They are being shown how Russian forces handle logistics on the front and are being trained in warfare tactics, including the use of drones. More North Korean soldiers are expected to be sent to Ukraine later.
Another source told the WSJ that Putin is interested in escalating the conflict on the Korean Peninsula to divert Western attention. Specifically, North Korean troops could take on various roles, such as missile specialists, front-line soldiers, or even workers supporting logistics.
In addition to promises of support and the transfer of military technology from Russia, Kim Jong Un's regime is expected to gain insights from direct observation of modern military tactics and the use of North Korean weapons in combat.
Russia has requested soldiers from North Korea
North Korea has sent military personnel to Russia for training in preparation for the war against Ukraine. According to intelligence reports, North Korean soldiers have been undergoing training at Russian military training grounds.
They may initially be deployed to the Kursk region. Ukrainian intelligence indicates that there could be up to 11,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia, forming two brigades of 6,000 troops each.
At the same time, the head of Ukraine’s Military Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, stated that Russia might provide North Korea with technologies for tactical nuclear weapons in exchange for missiles and troops.
