BANGKOK, SEATIZENS – A Ukrainian military intelligence source told the BBC that Russia is forming a unit of about 3,000 North Koreans. This suggests a close military alliance with Pyongyang. However, the BBC has not seen evidence of this large unit forming in Russia’s Far East. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed these reports. Moscow and Pyongyang have recently strengthened their cooperation, with Kim Jong Un calling Putin his “closest comrade.” Ukraine’s President Zelensky and South Korea’s defense minister have spoken about North Korea possibly joining the war. However, the exact numbers involved remain unclear.
According to BBC, However, the source declined to provide a precise number, stating that it is “nowhere near 3,000.” Additionally, military experts doubt that the Russian army can successfully integrate thousands of North Korean soldiers. Moreover, one analyst in Russia pointed out that 41.2% of the sentences contain more than 20 words, which exceeds the recommended maximum of 25%. Furthermore, only 20.8% of the sentences include transition words, which is below the ideal threshold.
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In June, Vladimir Putin celebrated a “peaceful and defensive” pact with Kim Jong Un. Evidence suggests North Korea is supplying Russia with ammunition, highlighted by a recovered missile in Ukraine’s Poltava region. Reports of Pyongyang supplying mines and shells date back to December 2023, with Russian soldiers in Ukraine complaining about ammunition quality and injuries.
Kyiv suspects North Korean soldiers are preparing in the Ulan-Ude region near the Mongolian border, likely for deployment to Russia’s Kursk province. Valeriy Ryabykh, editor of Defence Express, believes these troops might guard sections of the Russian-Ukrainian border, freeing Russian units for other battles. He doubts these units will appear on the front lines immediately.
North Korea’s Military: Engineering Prowess Over Combat Experience in Ukraine
North Korea has about 1.28 million active soldiers, but its army lacks recent combat experience, unlike Russia’s military. Pyongyang follows the old Soviet model for its armed forces, though it’s unclear how its main force of motorized infantry units would integrate into the war in Ukraine. Additionally, the language barrier and lack of familiarity with Russian systems would complicate any combat roles. However, this does not rule out North Korea’s military participating in Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine. Experts recognize North Korean forces more for their engineering and construction skills than for their combat abilities.
(Beam Chayapon)
