There are three versions: aviation expert on sending North Korean pilots to Russia

He expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

“When I heard the news about the DPRK pilots being sent to Russia, I had three versions of this. First, let's analyze what kind of planes North Korea has and how they intersect with the planes that Russia has. And then it turns out that the DPRK, starting with the MiG-17, has MiG-19, MiG-21, MiG-23, and MiG-29. They also have Su-25s, maybe some Su-24s. In addition, there is also a very old Soviet bomber IL, which should probably be forgotten. That is, there is overlap only in the Su-25 parameter. Do the Russians have enough pilots to fly Su-25s? Apparently, they do not, because a large number of these aircraft were shot down during the hot phase of the war,” the aviation expert said.

According to him, the Su-25 is a fairly old aircraft, known as the “rook” in the war in Afghanistan. This aircraft has proven itself very well in assault operations since then and, by the way, to this day. However, the pilots who tested it have long since entered retirement age. Even during the three years of the intense phase of this war, they are no longer the same as they were before, so they need to be replaced. Theoretically, this could happen.

“The second version is that the Russians have promised to give North Korea Su-35S aircraft, and they have also offered them to Iran. That is, this is the kind of thing that can be offered to everyone, providing for a certain exchange. It is unclear whether Russia handed over these planes to Iran or not, but it is known that the contract was not fulfilled. Of course, North Korea also wants Su-35s. It is possible that the North Korean pilots arrived to train on these aircraft. It is possible. And the third version is some kind of IPSO so that everyone would start paying attention to it, be distracted from other issues, think and wonder what will happen to the DPRK air force,” commented Kryvolap.

Military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK. What is known 

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 infantrymen are 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.

On October 22, the media reported that North Korea had sent not only infantrymen but also pilots of military aircraft to Russia. And the head of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, said that the first soldiers from North Korea were to arrive in the Kursk region on October 23.

On Wednesday, October 23, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said there is evidence that North Korean troops are in Russia. However, according to him, it is not yet known what they will do there. And South Korean parliamentarians reported that the DPRK had sent 3,000 of its military to Russia.

Meanwhile, self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said he did not believe that North Korean troops were involved in the war in Ukraine.

On October 23, White House Communications Advisor John Kirby said that if the DPRK military joined the fighting against Ukraine, they would be a legitimate target.