According to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, it has been confirmed that a contingent of 3,000 North Korean soldiers are already being trained by Russian forces. Information released by the White House indicates that the group arrived at the port of Vladivostok in early October and is currently training at three military facilities in eastern Russia.
It should be noted that this news had already begun circulating in recent days from South Korean intelligence and defense sources. However, the United States refrained from confirming it until now. Although the specific purpose of the North Korean troops’ presence in Russia, or what North Korea might receive in return, is unknown, various analysts suggest it is due to the substantial losses Russia has suffered in recent months, totaling over 600,000 casualties since 2022, according to U.S. officials.
“This is a very concerning prospect: after completing their training, these soldiers could move to western Russia and then engage Ukrainian forces,” said White House spokesperson John Kirby, noting that the U.S. has informed the Ukrainian government about its intelligence.
In addition, South Korea, North Korea’s close adversary, is reportedly considering sending advisors to Ukraine to monitor the activity of the North Korean troops—an interesting move, as the country has so far supported Ukraine only through diplomatic means and humanitarian aid.
For many experts, this is a sign of desperation on Russia’s part. “This indicates that (Putin) may be in an even more critical situation than many think. But, once again, he resorted early on to securing additional weapons and materials from the DPRK and then from Iran. Now, he seeks more manpower,” said Lloyd Austin, using the acronym for North Korea’s government.
Moreover, aside from military personnel, North Korea has already sent over 16,500 containers of ammunition and related materials since last year. Although it is unclear if the movement of these materials was part of a prior agreement, the rapprochement between the two states became apparent following an official visit by Kim Jong-un to Russia.
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