North Korea may begin steadily sending troops to Russia - Defense Express

Military expert and editor-in-chief of Defense Express, Oleh Katkov, shared this on Espreso TV.

"We're not seeing any global response, and we can't stop these supplies on our own, especially since everything is unfolding on the Pacific coast. North Korea can start supplying its armed forces steadily, as Pyongyang is trading freely. Estimates suggest that North Korea's Special Operations Forces range from 88,000 to 200,000, with the total number of their armed forces at 1.3 million. For comparison, Russia has 1.5 million. The real concern is what to do with this manpower, especially since they’re getting something in return. This trade could continue, and the 12,000 troops reported may just be the first batch," he explained.

Katkov also addressed South Korean intelligence reports regarding the number of North Korean troops deployed to Russia.

"According to South Korean intelligence, this isn't just about conventional army units, it involves the deployment of Special Operations Forces. These are not just regular soldiers, but the elite, combat-ready units of North Korea. We're talking about 12,000 soldiers. The figures regarding 500 officers and three generals align with the total of 12,000, which would roughly equate to about two brigades, but there could be more," he noted.

Military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK

On October 4, the Kyiv Post reported that 20 soldiers were killed in a missile strike on occupied Donetsk, including six North Korean military personnel advising the Russian army.

The South Korean Defense Minister warned on October 8 that North Korea may deploy troops to Ukraine in support of Russia.

At an October 17 press conference in Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed Russia's plan to train 10,000 North Korean soldiers for combat in Ukraine.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Military Intelligence, later reported that 11,000 North Korean infantrymenare training in eastern Russia, preparing for deployment to Ukraine. He added that the first unit of 2,600 soldiers is en route to Kursk, where Ukraine has established a stronghold.

Ukraine has since shared intelligence with NATO about North Korea’s military involvement and requested data from alliance members.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that the participation of the North Korean military in the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia would mean a “significant escalation.” 

Later, it was reported that South Korea was considering providing Ukraine with military and intelligence assistance in response to North Korea's sending its military to fight on the side of Russia.

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine reported that on October 23, the North Korean military was spotted in the Kursk region.

On October 25, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that according to intelligence, the first North Korean military would be used by Russia in combat zones on October 27-28.

Later, South Korea's intelligence agency reported that North Korea plans to send a second group of military personnel to Russia, totaling up to 10,000 troops.