North Korea may send its forces to help Russia in Ukraine - military expert

He shared his opinion on Espreso TV.

"I would not rule out the possibility that North Korea could send its troops to the front in Ukraine," he said.

Kyrychevskyi explained that although talk of a Korean expeditionary corps on the Russian side faded in the summer of 2022, there were reports of North Korean labor being used by Russian troops in Mariupol for military construction. 

According to military expert, this indicates ongoing human trafficking between the two regimes, and an expeditionary corps could be an extension of this cooperation. He emphasized that the outcomes of meetings between Putin and Kim Jong-un, and any agreements made, would become clearer closer to the fall.

Kyrychevskyi also noted that despite sanctions, North Korea continues to produce multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and other weapons.

"In regards to North Korea, there's a misconception that they only possess Soviet-made weapons. The belief that North Korea has been completely isolated for the past 40 years is exaggerated. They have successfully supplied their weapons to markets in the Middle East. Nowadays, North Korea produces quite good MLRS and artillery systems," he explained.

• On June 18, Russia's leader Vladimir Putin is making a rare visit to North Korea, marking his first trip there in 24 years. The two-day visit will include talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Most of Putin's senior Cabinet members are part of the delegation.
• In February, Bloomberg reported, citing South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, that the DPRK has sent about 6,700 containers of weapons to Russia, accelerating the pace of deliveries after Putin held a summit with Kim Jong Un in September.