A captured Russian soldier reports that North Korean troops deployed to assist Russia in combat against Ukraine have put their own units at risk by failing to properly aim their guns, potentially killing two Russian soldiers during an assault. Approximately 8,000 North Koreans are reportedly stationed in Russia’s Kursk region where Ukraine has recently made territorial gains. The decision to bring in North Korean forces is seen by some analysts not as a strategy for winning the war, but as a method for addressing domestic political issues and influencing international perceptions. In return for North Korean assistance, Russia is providing food, money, and space technology, with reports indicating North Korean soldiers are receiving $2,000 per month. It is also reported that Russia intends to place North Korean troops in units with local ethnic minorities in an effort to conceal their presence.
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US officials have reported approximately 8,000 North Korean troops stationed in Russia’s Kursk region, who are likely to enter the war with Ukraine. According to Ukrainian intelligence, Moscow has armed these troops with various weapons, including 60mm mortars, AK-12 rifles, RPK/PKM machine guns, SVD/SVF sniper rifles, Phoenix anti-tank guided missiles, and RPG-7s. The troops have also been provided with night vision equipment, thermal imagers, sights, and binoculars, suggesting the weaponry to be similar to that used by Russian forces. A previously released video showed North Korean troops in Russian gear at a training compound. Predicted to join the fight against Ukraine soon, these developments have led Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to call on Western allies to lift long-range weaponry restrictions.
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North Korean soldiers who have been deployed to support Russia in the Ukraine are expected to suffer significant losses due to their lack of training for the geography and climate, according to Estonian Colonel Ants Kiviselg. North Korea has sent nearly 12,000 troops to Russia, including 500 officers and three generals, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) however these soldiers have typically been trained to fight in mountainous terrain, unlike the conditions in Ukraine. Kiviselg suggests that communication issues between North Korean and Russian troops could also cause difficulties. His comments come as the Ukrainian conflict increases in intensity, with Russian forces reportedly advancing at its fastest rate since the early months of the war.
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The US has imposed sanctions on 398 companies in over a dozen countries, including India, which are accused of offering technological support to Moscow in the Russia-Ukraine war. These firms are alleged to have enabled Russia’s war capabilities and helped them bypass sanctions. Of these companies, 274 are believed to have supplied advanced military technology to Russia. In addition to this, diplomatic sanctions have also been imposed on senior Russian Defense Ministry officials and staff from Russian defense firms. Despite the imposition of these sanctions, many experts question their efficacy, citing Russia’s continued economic and military growth, largely due to the sale of oil and gas on international markets.
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Major General Alexander Ogloblin, former head of Russia’s military communications department, has been arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of 10 million rubles ($103,000) from a telecommunications company to secure defense ministry contracts. Ogloblin had already been sentenced to four and a half years for embezzlement in February 2022 but was released early after implicating his former superior, Vadim Shamarin, in his testimony. His second arrest comes following statements against him by Shamarin, as part of a plea deal with investigators. Shamarin was accused of receiving procurement kickbacks. The arrest is seen as a crackdown on serving and former defense officials linked to former defense minister Sergei Shoigu.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised the inadequate reaction of western allies to the involvement of North Korean troops in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. The US and South Korea have called on China to use its influence over Russia and North Korea to prevent escalation. Anton Blinken, the US Secretary of State, said around 8,000 North Korean troops are currently stationed in Russia on the border with Ukraine, with the belief that Russia is preparing to deploy them. China has so far remained silent on the situation. Meanwhile, Russian forces have reportedly captured another village in eastern Ukraine.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned that about 8,000 North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia are preparing for deployment into combat in Ukraine. Blinken revealed that the US believes a total of 10,000 North Korean troops had been sent to Russia for training before being based in the Kursk region on the border with Ukraine. The upcoming deployment could escalate the Russia-Ukraine war into a multi-region conflict, involving North and South Korea. Blinken’s comments come after North Korea test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile and hours before Ukraine’s president warned that North Korean troops could join the fight against Ukraine within days. The US, South Korea, and the Pentagon have all warned against the deployment of North Korean troops in the battle.
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Russian forces are experiencing significant losses in Ukraine as a result of poor training and leadership, according to an article by David Axe in The Daily Beast. In a single day in mid-October, nearly 1,700 Russian troops were killed or wounded and more than 100 vehicles lost during an attack by Ukrainian forces, he wrote. Despite these losses, and a general lack of manpower, the Russian military has reportedly concentrated its efforts on gaining as much territory in Ukraine as possible ahead of winter. It has increased payments to new recruits and is said to be relying on reinforcements from North Korea. Meanwhile, Ukraine is reported to be having significant manpower issues of its own.
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The news about the first North Korean troops killed in Russia strikes me as a devastating testament to the horrors of war and the extent of human exploitation. I find myself reflecting on what it means to be born into such relentless deprivation and brutality as those young men. Surviving the atrocities of life in North Korea only to be shipped off as mere cannon fodder to a foreign battlefield is nothing short of tragic. It’s a fate that no human being should have to endure.
Imagining the mindset of these soldiers is haunting. They arrive in a foreign land, clutching fake identities that serve only to further dehumanize them.… Continue reading
Russian soldiers expressing their bewilderment about the presence of North Korean recruits in intercepted audio is just a glimpse into the chaotic and, frankly, absurd theater of war. Hearing them ask, “What the f**k to do with them?” paints a vivid picture of disorientation and disregard for human life, as these young North Koreans are thrust into a conflict they likely don’t fully understand. It’s a scene reminiscent of dark comedy, where the actors find themselves in roles they never auditioned for.
The idea that North Korean soldiers, probably unacquainted with modern warfare or even basic strategies, are now part of a military operation that is failing at every turn is tragic.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker