The Russian military is forming a battalion of North Korean soldiers to reinforce its frontline units in Ukraine, sources from Kyiv’s military intelligence unit (HUR) have claimed.
As many as 3,000 North Korean troops will reportedly form part of the Special Buryat Battalion within Moscow’s 11th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade.
The battalion may be deployed near Sudzha and Kursk, where Ukrainian forces executed a surprise incursion in summer.
“Putin is doing everything possible to delay and avoid the decision to conduct a new full-fledged wave of mobilization on the territory of the Russian Federation,” a source told the Kyiv Post.
The new battalion is currently being supplied with small arms and ammunition in preparation for official deployment, the source added.
‘Outdated and Poorly Equipped’
A Ukrainian military officer expressed doubts about the effectiveness of Russia’s North Korean reinforcements in actual combat situations.
He claimed that these foreign troops are outdated and poorly equipped, which could lead to higher casualty rates.
Last week, South Korea’s defense chief reported that six North Korean military officials were killed in a Ukrainian missile attack near Donetsk.
With this alleged vulnerability, the Ukrainian officer speculated that the role of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine would likely involve high-risk operations aimed at alleviating pressure on Russian forces.
Defense Treaty
Reports of North Korea sending troops to Russia have gained traction following the recent signing of a mutual defense agreement between the two nations.
The agreement stipulates that Pyongyang and Moscow are obligated to assist each other militarily if either is attacked or enters a state of war.
But prior to that, the Asian nation had already been reported to be supplying weapons and ammunition to Russia for its “special military operation” in Ukraine.