North Korea is preparing large-scale reinforcements for Russia in the war against Ukraine

North Korea is preparing a new wave of military reinforcements for Russia, significantly increasing its participation in the war against Ukraine. According to Ukrainian intelligence estimates, the DPRK may transfer about 25-30 thousand more troops to Russian territory, which are likely to arrive in the coming months.

This is reported by CNN.

This will be a continuation of the November 2024 deployment, when Pyongyang sent 11,000 of its troops to Russia, who were supposedly involved in deterring Ukrainian attacks on the Kursk salient. According to Western sources, their losses amounted to about 4,000 killed and wounded.

Cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang has only intensified since then. According to intelligence, the Russian Defense Ministry is ready to provide the newly arrived military with equipment, ammunition, and necessary equipment. There is also talk of the possible integration of North Korean units into Russian combat units, presumably in preparation for another offensive.

Satellite images taken on June 4 of Sunan Airport near Pyongyang show activity on the runways, with several transport planes similar to the Il-76, which were previously used to transport troops, visible. Open-source data provided by analysts at the Open Source Center suggests that personnel may be moving.

“While the images don’t provide a direct answer as to what exactly the ships and planes are carrying, similar routes have been used during previous deployments, which could indicate a repeat of the pattern,” CNN notes.

A ship that had already been transporting soldiers from the DPRK was spotted on May 18 moored at the port of Danube in the Russian Federation.

Joe Byrne, an analyst at the Open Source Center, said the reactivation of known routes could indicate a large-scale new mission. “It’s likely that North Korea is again using the same channels to move troops,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jenny Town, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, suggests that the 30,000 figure may be an overestimate. According to her, a more realistic estimate is 20,000. She also noted that these troops are unlikely to be highly skilled, but it all depends on the requests of the Russian side. At the same time, there are unconfirmed reports of the presence of Russian military instructors in the DPRK, who are allegedly training local units.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said Pyongyang has already begun recruiting personnel for a possible overseas mission, which could start in July or August. The number of troops involved has not yet been disclosed.

CNN emphasizes: the appearance of new units from North Korea could be a sign of a serious escalation by Kim Jong-un, which seems to only strengthen the Kremlin’s support in the protracted conflict.

As a reminder, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated that the DPRK has involved 11,000 servicemen from Kim Jong-un’s elite contingent in the war against Ukraine.

As reported, North Korea may send additional troops to Russia to participate in a new offensive in July or August.

In addition, North Korea will send six thousand of its citizens to Russia , who will supposedly “restore” the Kursk region.

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