A week ago, there were two movements in the war in Ukraine that escalated the situation like few times before. On the one hand, North Korea announced that it had launched its “furthest” intercontinental ballistic missile to date. A few days ago, Russia demonstrated its “nuclear” power by doing exactly the same thing. According to the United States, both countries are ready to join the fight collectively, but Ukraine does not seem to care, at least in part.

North Korean reinforcements and Ukraine’s response. The Guardian described this in a report published this weekend on Ukrainian ranks. Given the arrival of North Korean troops in Russia to support the war against Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers are preparing by trying to meet the so-called on the battlefield, as in the case of Vitalii Ovcharenko.

Like? Soldiers are learning a new language: Korean. “We learned phrases like ‘Raise your hands, drop your weapon, and slowly come towards us’ or ‘Take off your armor and helmet,'” Ovcharenko explains. They apparently do this by learning basic Korean phrases to handle possible surrenders of foreign soldiers. The Ukrainians, who have a three-page translation manual in their possession, even joked with the publication about the capture of the first North Korean prisoner, but in reality they plan to hand them over to the authorities.

A new infantry force. The New York Times reported that its sources have confirmed that North Korean soldiers will fight in the conflict as light infantry, meaning without access to armored vehicles. This apparent vulnerability could be exploited by Ukraine, as current artillery and drone tactics have proven effective against unprotected Russian troops.

The truth is that although the United States and Ukraine doubt the combat experience of North Korean soldiers, they are considered well organized and disciplined; According to analyst George Barros, these qualities may exceed those of Russian soldiers in the field.

Geopolitical alignment and Russian strategy. About 10,000 North Korean troops, including officers and generals, are currently stationed near the Ukrainian border, according to U.S. intelligence. Everything indicates that they are trying to strengthen the Russian front in the Kursk region, where Ukraine managed to partially take control of Russian territory.

Here again, North Korea’s cooperation seems to be in the leading role, because it is claimed that Russia is purchasing not only soldiers but also millions of bullets and short-range missiles. In return, Pyongyang is expected to provide rocket technology, diplomatic support and monthly funding for its soldiers.

North Korean influence and effectiveness. This is one of the biggest doubts of the current conflict, and we have mentioned it before. While North Korean troops appear to lack experience in ground combat, analysts such as Barros and Rob Lee point to their high level of discipline and cohesion, qualities that may exceed those of Russian soldiers.

Despite this, Ukrainians are confident that these reinforcements will not significantly change the course of the conflict. In fact, Ukrainian soldiers appear largely unconcerned. But Ovcharenko told The Guardian: “We don’t know how Moscow will train them or communicate with them. They may be fanatical professionals with a totalitarian spirit. Or they may be inexperienced men from another continent. In either case, we are ready for the threat.” The soldier left a sentence expressing the general feeling of the Ukrainian side: “They will die uselessly.”

Possible Russian advances. If Russia gains ground at Kursk, it may try to advance beyond its borders, but it is not yet clear whether the North Korean government will allow its troops to engage in prolonged operations in Ukraine or simply support a counter-offensive in the Kursk region. . U.S. officials believe Pyongyang can limit the involvement of its own forces in the border area while Russia continues its offensive.

Russia, which faces difficulties reaching its monthly recruitment target of 25,000 troops, relies heavily on North Korean troops for reinforcements. According to Barros, this contribution is described as an “alternative supply line” that can be sustained over time. It has been estimated that North Korea could regularly send up to 15,000 troops per month, providing a constant flow of reinforcements to reduce Russian losses.

Hope in the midst of conflict. Despite constant drone and missile attacks, the Ukrainian offensive on Kursk allows engineers to repair critical infrastructure in villages near the border. Ukrainian filmmaker Volodymyr Niankin states that local people are tired of the war but are hopeful that the conflict will end within the next six months.

However, the battle picture shows that everything could blow up as soon as Russian and North Korean troops give the green light to attack. Ukraine, on the other hand, faces the arrival of North Korean brigades as a new test in an extremely long conflict. According to the Guardian report, Ukrainian soldiers, who are well prepared and in high morale, are confident in their strategy to resist and maintain pressure against Russia, while cautiously observing how this military cooperation with North Korea will develop.

Image | USAG-Humphreys

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