North Korea is reportedly preparing to triple the number of its troops fighting for Russia along the front lines with Ukraine, sending an additional 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers to assist Russian forces. This is based on an intelligence assessment from Ukrainian officials.
According to CNN, “The troops may arrive in Russia in the coming months, according to the assessment seen by CNN, adding to the 11,000 sent in November who helped repel Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region.” The report adds: “Around 4,000 of those North Korean soldiers were killed or injured in the deployment, according to Western officials, yet Pyongyang’s cooperation with Moscow has since bloomed.”
But there’s reason to be suspicious and skeptical of the report sourced to Ukrainian intelligence as well as Western intelligence officials, which are cited, given the crucial timing.
The claims of this drastic escalation in North Korea’s support come within 24 hours after the White House revealed it would be halting key weapons transfers to Kiev, on concerns that Pentagon stockpiles are growing thin.
And so it seems the Ukrainian government wants to desperately get the West’s attention, at a moment it is losing a key vital weapons and ammo pipeline.
It was just last month that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his urgent call for joint international action against Russia, Iran and North Korea – or a new ‘axis’ conspiring against Ukraine.
“Russia is now trying to save Iran’s nuclear program – there is no other way to interpret the public signals and non-public activities,” Zelensky had said two weeks ago.
“When Iranian Shahed drones – now significantly upgraded – and ballistic missiles from North Korea – also upgraded – kill our people in Ukraine, it is a clear sign that global solidarity and global pressure are not enough,” Zelensky said. “We must significantly tighten sanctions.”
As for the new intel assessment on the alleged North Korea troop surge, CNN continues:
The Ukrainian assessment seen by CNN says the Russian ministry of defense is capable of providing “needed equipment, weapons and ammunition” with the aim of “further integration to Russian combat units.” The document adds “there is a great possibility” the North Korean troops will be engaged in combat in parts of Russian-occupied Ukraine “to strengthen the Russian contingent, including during the large-scale offensive operations.”
The assessment, from Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency, also says there are signs that Russian military aircraft are being refitted to carry personnel, reflecting the vast undertaking of moving tens of thousands of foreign troops across Russian Siberia, which shares a border with North Korea in its far southwest.
Earlier this week North Korea’s state-run media aired footage showing leader Kim Jong-un mourning the deaths of North Korean soldiers, said to be killed while fighting in Russia’s war in Ukraine as part of allied forces. The occasion for the memorial footage was the return of the soldiers’ remains from Russia, though no details were given as to the number of the deceased being remembered.
This past weekend also marked the first anniversary of the signing of the two countries’ “comprehensive strategic partnership” treaty. This served as the ‘legal basis’ on which the North Korean troop deployment to Russia happened.
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