North Korea planning to send 30,000 more troops to Russia
What's the story
North Korea is reportedly planning to send up to 30,000 additional troops to Russia, further strengthening Moscow's military presence on the front lines with Ukraine. The Ukrainian defense intelligence agency has assessed that these new soldiers could arrive in Russia within months. This would be in addition to the initial deployment of 11,000 North Korean troops sent last November, per CNN.
Deployment details
Troops likely to be deployed in occupied Ukrainian regions
The Ukrainian intelligence report, which has been reviewed by CNN, stated that the Russian Ministry of Defense can provide "needed equipment, weapons and ammunition" for the integration of North Korean troops into Russian combat units. The document also notes a high likelihood that these additional troops will be deployed in regions of Ukraine occupied by Russia to bolster their military efforts.
Evidence of deployment
Satellite images and flight patterns hint at new deployment
Satellite images and flight patterns have hinted at possible preparations for this new deployment. A ship associated with last year's deployments was seen at a Russian port, while cargo planes were spotted at North Korea's Sunan airport. Joe Byrne from the Open Source Centre said these observations suggest that routes used previously to move troops are active again.
Initial deployment
Thousands of soldiers killed or injured in 1st troop deployment
North Korea's first troop deployment, which was confirmed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in April, saw around 4,000 soldiers killed or injured. Yet, cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow has only grown stronger since then. The Ukrainian assessment also mentions that Russian military aircraft are being modified to transport personnel across Siberia.
Intensifying cooperation
North Korean troops seen training with Russian forces
Reports from Russian media also indicate closer ties between the two nations. A video posted on Telegram showed intensive preparations for a North Korean unit, while another TASS video depicted joint training exercises between North Korean and Russian troops. Ukraine's Defense Minister, Rustem Umerov, said on Thursday that Kyiv expected more North Korean forces would be deployed but warned that exposing elite troops to high casualty rates could jeopardize Kim Jong Un's government.