Several thousand North Korean soldiers fight for Russia in Ukraine - ISW
Photo: North Korean soldiers fight in the war against Ukraine (Getty Images)
North Korean soldiers are fighting in Ukraine. Some of the troops are undergoing training in Russia for potential future deployment alongside Russian forces, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
According to The Washington Post, both Ukrainian and South Korean officials confirm that North Korean soldiers are operating in Ukraine alongside Russian troops.
A representative of Ukraine’s military intelligence stated that certain North Korean officers are observing Russian forces and studying the battlefield in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. However, Ukraine’s Defense Forces have not yet independently detected North Korean units within Ukraine.
The Ukrainian official also noted that several thousand North Korean infantrymen are currently training in Russia. He added that Russian military command could deploy them to the frontlines in Ukraine by the end of 2024 or to Russia’s border regions to free up Russian reserves for combat operations in Ukraine.
South Korean and Ukrainian officials reported that North Korean troops are likely operating in the occupied Donetsk region. This was confirmed by a recent missile strike by Ukrainian forces, which killed many North Korean officers.
Analysts at the ISW have been unable to determine the scale of the North Korean troop presence that Russia may deploy to the front or the number of Russian forces that could be freed along the border.
However, these scenarios could aid Russia's efforts to bolster its primary offensive operations in Ukraine and delay the final phase of the Russian offensive known as Summer 2024.
"North Korean troop deployments to Ukraine could also create opportunities for Ukrainian exploitation, depending on the quality, force structure, arrangement, and interoperability of North Korean forces," the ISW states.
North Korean troops in the war in Ukraine
During a June visit to North Korea this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement. Under the agreement, in the event of aggression against one of the countries, the partner guarantees immediate mutual assistance.
Today, North Korean troops are already participating in combat operations against Ukraine. They are operating in the temporarily occupied territories as advisors.
In early October, a missile strike by Ukrainian forces near the temporarily occupied Donetsk killed six North Korean officers.
According to military expert Pavlo Narozhnyy, sending troops to assist Russian troops will have very negative consequences for North Korea.
