North Korean military personnel observed preparing with Russian equipment, potentially in anticipation of dispatch to Ukraine.
North Korean military personnel are believed to be undergoing preparation for deployment to the battlefront in Ukraine, indicating a strengthening of ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.
A video disseminated by the Ukrainian government's Ukraine Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security to CNN shows a lengthy queue of soldiers, seemingly discussing in Korean while collecting their uniforms. Sadly, the audio quality was insufficient to fully decipher their conversation.
Upon entering Russia, these North Korean recruits were required to complete a questionnaire, detailing their headwear, helmet, uniform, and shoe sizes. The form heading was written in Russian, while the various size options were provided in Korean.
A viral video, geolocated by CNN, revealed troops arriving at the Sergeevka Training Ground, situated near Russia's border with China. In the video, a Russian speaker could be heard stating, "We can't film them," followed by, "There are more... there are millions of them here. Here are the new reinforcements. This is just the beginning. There are more."
This evidence appears to validate Kyiv's long-standing apprehensions about North Korea preparing for a more substantial role in Russia's conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a NATO summit address, expressed concern that "thousands" of North Korean troops were en route to Russia.
Zelensky revealed that, according to his intelligence, "They are preparing 10,000 soldiers, different types of soldiers, land forces, technical personnel." He characterized the development as urgent, reporting it to the United States. Previously, South Korean media suggested that North Korea would dispatch a total of 12,000 troops, although this figure was not specified in the national intelligence service's announcement.
If true, this would mark North Korea's initial substantial intervention in an international conflict. Despite harboring one of the world's largest militaries with 1.2 million soldiers, many of its troops are reportedly lacking in combat experience.
CNN's Rob Picheta and Yoonjung Seo contributed to the reporting.
The strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea extends beyond military cooperation, as evidenced by the increasing presence of North Korean personnel in Asia, specifically in countries like Russia and Ukraine.
The presence of North Korean troops in various parts of Asia is a concerning development for the world, as North Korea's military, while large, is not well-equipped for sustained international conflicts.
