Are North Korean soldiers fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war? Here is what is known

In recent years, Russia and North Korea have strengthened military ties. The two countries signed what North Korean leader Kim Jung-un describes as a pact “of peace in defense.” Back in January, John Kirby, the White House National Security Communications Advisor, claimed that Pyongyang has been supplying the Kremlin with artillery shells and ballistic missiles that have been used in their campaign against Ukraine. When first reported by Kirby, only one missile had been launched and landed in a field in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Both countries have been isolated from global markets due to crippling sanctions imposed on their economies. This shared experience naturally will draw the countries closer together. New reports that North Korean soldiers are being sent to the frontline are being pointed to as an example that the militaristic alliance between the two countries is growing.

In August 2023, the New York Times reported that the combined death toll on the Russian and Ukrainian sides had reached 500,000. Both militaries have turned to conscription to bolster their forces. Still, high numbers of casualties and injuries have raised serious questions about how long the conflict can be sustained, particularly by Ukraine, whose population is a fraction of Russia. If North Korean troops join Russian forces on the frontline, Ukraine could face even greater challenges on the battlefield as recruitment and force maintenance becomes a severe issue. In September, CNN spoke with six top Ukrainian military officials who had recently returned from the frontline and said that “desertion and insubordination are becoming a widespread problem, especially among newly recruited soldiers.”

Evidence of North Korean soldiers joining Russia in Ukraine

On Saturday, a Ukrainian government account on X, the Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security of Ukraine, released a view of what allegedly shows North Korean troops on the ground in the country assisting in Russia’s war effort.

The authenticity of these reports has not been verified. Reports of North Korean troops traveling to Russia to join forces on the frontlines have been circulating this week. The Guardian reported that North Korean military engineers were deployed to Ukraine to fire KN-23 ballistic missiles.

Today, outlets are reporting on South Korean intelligence that provides evidence that these troops have been mobilized. Previously, South Korea, the Minister of Defense, Kim Yong-hyun, had said it was very probable that the North Korean regime would deploy military personnel in Ukraine to help Russia in a speech in front of his country’s parliament.