Last week, we reported that the rapprochement between North Korea and Russia had turned into a new and more interesting page. There were many sources announcing that soldiers and weapons were sent to the Russian front during the conflict with Ukraine. Now it was the USA directly that formalized Pyongyang’s entry into the European war. Thousands of soldiers are mentioned, but the most important thing is not made clear: What the hell are they doing?

News. The United States confirmed in a statement that North Korea is sending troops to Russia to support the war against Ukraine; This marks the before and after of the conflict and marks a significant change in Moscow’s efforts to win the conflict.

The news comes from US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, the first senior official to publicly announce the troop deployment. Austin emphasized that the situation was uncertain but also a “very serious” escalation, suggesting that the situation was more serious than previously thought, adding that the move reflected “Russian President Vladimir Putin’s desperation.”

The United States National Security Council, through its spokesman John Kirby, reported that North Korean troops arrived by ship from Wonsan, North Korea, and were transported to three training sites in the Russian Far East.

3000 North Koreans. That’s the figure handled by U.S. intelligence, which has been tracking nearly 3,000 North Korean troops who arrived in Russia in October and also has reports that more than 12,000 troops are in training.

Last week, South Korea reported that 1,500 North Korean soldiers, including special forces, were sent to Russia for training. Additionally, Ukrainian intelligence noted the presence of a small North Korean contingent cooperating with Russian forces in engineering and logistics missions.

Like this? It seems like an obvious question, but it’s not that obvious. Officially, North Korea has not confirmed whether it will deploy to Ukraine. Cooperation between both countries is known to be increasing, including the apparent sale of more than a million pieces of artillery equipment from Pyongyang to Russia. The US fears that they will be deployed to the Russian Western Front after completing their training in Vladivostok.

So what is Korea looking for? Experts suggest that in return, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may seek advanced military technology, especially in the field of intercontinental missiles and nuclear submarines.

Global effects. There is no doubt that cooperation between Russia and North Korea creates concern in both Asia and the West, especially due to the possible improvement of North Korea’s ballistic capabilities and/or the threat it poses to the global military balance.

Not only this. The involvement of North Korean troops would violate UN Security Council resolutions, which could lead to greater diplomatic consequences. Finally, it raises questions about the reaction of China, one of North Korea’s key allies, which may not be happy with these moves, according to various media outlets. China, however, has not expressed clear opposition, at least not officially and so far.

Image | FMT, FMT

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