Russian leader Vladimir Putin is relying on North Korean forces to help regain control of parts of the Kursk region currently held by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to a report by the Financial Times on October 24.
Footage released by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service shows these troops, disguised as Siberian ethnic minorities such as Buryats and Yakuts, training ahead of their mission to support Russian forces.
The North Korean contingent, reportedly numbering 12,000, is expected to bolster Russia’s efforts to retake the Kursk region, parts of which have been under Ukrainian control since August.
In addition to supplying artillery and ballistic missiles to Russia, North Korea has also sent military officers to oversee the use of these weapons on the battlefield. However, analysts believe the size of this force is unlikely to significantly shift the balance of power in the war.
Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, suggested that while the North Korean troops could improve Russia’s cohesion and morale, they are unlikely to dramatically change the situation.
“It’s a pretty low bar to be better than what the Russians have at the moment,” he remarked.
The deployment comes as Russia faces difficulties replenishing its forces, with Western estimates placing Russian casualties in Ukraine at over 600,000 killed and wounded.
The North Korean troops being sent to Russia belong to the elite Eleventh Army, known as the “Storm Corps,” which is well-equipped and highly trained, unlike regular North Korean soldiers who often lack adequate combat experience.
Earlier, it was reported that North Korea has sent fighter pilots to Russia, potentially to support the ongoing war in Ukraine.
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