North Korea appears to be sending its citizens and soldiers to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, intensifying concerns about the developing Moscow-Pyongyang axis. “We are seeing a deepening alliance between Russia and regimes like North Korea. It's not just about weapons any more; it's about transferring people from North Korea to support the occupying forces," said Zelenskyy in a recent video message to his citizens.
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Zelenskyy's statement underscores the increasingly close ties between Russia and North Korea as the Ukraine war continues, causing concern in the west about the extent of their cooperation. North Korea has reportedly sent its army engineers to assist Russia in targeting Ukraine with ballistic missiles, marking a significant escalation. Sources from Ukraine and South Korea are convinced that North Korean teams are behind Russian lines, specifically to aid the launch of KN-23 missiles, a short-range ballistic missile similar to Russia’s Iskander-M missile system. The intensification of ties seems to be the result of the summit last year between Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin, when the duo reportedly signed a secret arms deal.
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Pyongyang’s ammunition has been crucial in enabling Russian forces to maintain their offensive in eastern Ukraine. However, the agreement seems to go beyond weapons supplies, with North Koreans actively participating on the battlefield. Ukrainian and South Korean officials said some North Koreans were killed in a recent missile strike in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region. It remains unclear whether those dead were military engineers or regular fighters.
South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun said it was quite possible that North Korean officers and soldiers were deployed in Ukraine, further underscoring the deepening military cooperation. For instance, North Korean ammunition was found after a recent strike on a Russian depot in the Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border.
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Experts believe that North Korea’s involvement may provide it valuable foreign exchange and also give its military combat experience and an opportunity to test its weapons. Despite being of inferior quality, North Korean missiles and shells have been critical for keeping Russian artillery operational. Interestingly, nearly half of the larger-calibre ammunition used by Russian forces last year was supplied by North Korea.
North Korea is also eyeing Russian support for its struggling spy satellite programme. Strong bilateral ties also strengthen Pyongyang's position against the west, with Russia recently using its veto to block further UN sanctions on North Korea. While both nations vehemently deny the presence of North Korean troops helping Russia, their growing military ties are becoming increasingly apparent.