Ukraine warns of deepening Russia-North Korea military ties
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that despite the losses, North Korean soldiers continue to fight in the Kursk region and may soon receive reinforcements. At the same time, he warned allies that Russia is still deepening its military ties with North Korea, which could have an impact beyond Ukraine.
"They continue their contacts with North Korea for military supplies, weapons, and missiles. We see this reflected in artillery and missile attacks. This is direct involvement, a clear case of a second country being drawn into the war—not a theory, but a fact," said Volodymyr Zelensky during one of his speeches at the Munich Security Conference.
More North Korean soldiers are heading to Russia
The Ukrainian president confirmed previously emerging information that approximately 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed in the Kursk region. About 4,000 of them have reportedly been eliminated from the battlefield. In exchange, reinforcements of approximately 2,000-3,000 additional North Koreans may soon arrive in the Kursk region.
Stanislav Krasnov, a platoon commander of the 95th separate airborne assault brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces, explained in an interview with the Unian agency that the North Koreans have changed tactics and it's clear they are adapting to the realities of modern warfare (where drones are used on a massive scale). Moreover, they have repeatedly surprised with better equipment than that available to Russian soldiers. Some of the captured North Koreans were found with two firearms— an AK-12 automatic rifle and a Vepr-12 self-loading shotgun— as well as significant quantities of grenades, Chinese radios, and maps.
Pyongyang supports Moscow like no one else. But it doesn't do this for free
Regarding equipment resources, North Korea primarily supplies Russia with colossal quantities of 122 mm and 152 mm artillery shells, which are used by Russians in their most popular artillery systems. Besides that, Putin's army fighting in Ukraine can rely on KN-23 ballistic missiles, M1978 Koksan artillery guns, and multiple rocket launcher systems.
However, such support is not granted for free. North Korea expects Russian technological assistance in exchange, concerning military and satellite programs. Pyongyang would like to significantly modernize its air force, including acquiring MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters from Russia or building its first AWACS-type aircraft based on the Il-76.
The Ukrainian president emphasized that world leaders should pay more attention to the deepening ties between Russia and North Korea, as in the long term, this could be significant beyond Ukraine.
Reuters warns that North Korea treats Ukraine as a testing ground, draws conclusions, and is capable of improving its weapons. This is evident in the increasing accuracy of KN-23 ballistic missiles. Although the South Korean authorities seem most interested in this, they consistently refuse to provide military support to Ukraine.
