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North Korean Troops in Russia: A High-Stakes Battle for Learning Modern Warfare

North Korean military forces deployed in Russia have emerged as fierce participants in the ongoing conflict, showcasing a willingness to engage in high-casualty confrontations.

The Russian military employs these troops in aggressive “human wave” tactics, indicative of a strategy that prioritizes overwhelming assaults at significant human costs.

For North Korea, this conflict presents a critical opportunity to observe and learn contemporary military strategies and tactics.

The resolve of North Korean soldiers is noteworthy; they display a steadfastness in battle regardless of the odds, motivated by a sense of duty that can appear almost fanatical. While their methods may be archaic, they are undeniably effective in their brutality.

The implications of this deployment have drawn the attention of Western analysts, particularly as the Russian President Vladimir Putin sought assistance from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to bolster his military efforts against Ukraine.

In November, 11,000 North Korean troops were sent to the Kursk region, masked as Russian forces with counterfeit identification. A significant proportion of these soldiers belong to elite special operations units, known for their intense training and loyalty.

Russia has actively engaged these North Korean troops in brutal assaults. While the physical toll is steep, the North Korean forces are gaining vital insights into modern warfare approaches.

North Korea Deploys Elite Forces

North Korean troops have been acclimatizing to advanced battle conditions in partnership with Russian forces, learning to counter strategies such as drone warfare.

This constitutes North Korea’s most significant overseas military engagement in its nearly 80-year history. Analysts have been dissecting the implications of this moment, utilizing intelligence assessments and the insights gathered from Ukrainian forces.

Intelligence from both Ukrainian and South Korean sources indicates that the North Korean forces dispatched to Russia comprise some of the most skilled personnel, specifically from the 11th Corps, known as the Storm Corps, famed for their expertise in covert operations and sabotage.

Ukrainian General Oleksandr Syrsky has recognized the North Korean troops as “highly motivated, well-trained,” and displaying remarkable valor. Additionally, the Pentagon has confirmed that these forces are “relatively well-disciplined” and “capable” in combat.

Reports from Ukrainian soldiers underscore their encounters with North Korean fighters, describing them as quick and adept in combat, exhibiting a notable fearlessness despite significant losses. Some captured soldiers were even found with personal diaries expressing dedication to Kim and North Korea.

Joseph Bermudez, an expert on North Korea’s military, noted that these soldiers are proving to be better trained and more committed than initially perceived.

Cultural factors in North Korea heavily emphasize a militaristic ethos and contribute to its maintenance of one of the world’s largest standing armies, approximately 1.2 million strong.

The direct involvement of North Korean forces has intensified challenges for Ukraine, particularly in Kursk, which has seen Ukraine relinquishing substantial territory due to the relentless and aggressive assaults, further exhausting their already stretched defenses.

Intelligence from South Korea suggests that North Korea might be considering deploying further forces and military assets to Russia.

Despite Pyongyang’s official denial of these deployments, reports indicate efforts by Russian and North Korean forces to conceal casualties, including measures to obscure the identities of deceased North Korean soldiers.

High-Casualty Offensives by Russian Command

Western evaluations suggest that Russia is sacrificing both its soldiers and North Korean reinforcements in perilous and costly frontal assaults.

According to statements from the Biden administration, Russian and North Korean commanders are reportedly treating these troops as expendable, directing them into futile attacks against rigorous Ukrainian defenses.

A White House spokesperson previously remarked on the North Koreans’ indoctrination and willingness to pursue attacks even when recognizing their impending failure.

Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces have noted the absence of North Korean troops in the Kursk area for over three weeks, likely due to escalated combat losses which are yet to be independently verified.

On the front lines, Ukrainian combatants have characterized North Korean forces as a competent fighting force proficient in neutralizing drone threats. These soldiers are described as relentless and fierce, embodying a readiness to sacrifice their safety for aggressive wave assaults, often using fellow soldiers for strategic advances and discarding protective armor for swifter movements.

A troubling hallmark of their training is their commitment to follow orders without hesitation, even at the risk of their own lives, with severe consequences for noncompliance potentially extending to their families.

Insights Gained by North Korea in Contemporary Warfare

Despite suffering significant losses, North Korea is adapting from its battlefield experiences in Ukraine.

Western intelligence predicts that North Korean forces have faced considerable attrition fighting alongside Russia, with a new understanding of warfare tactics through their collaboration.

Through observing current light infantry tactics akin to those used in World War II, North Korean soldiers have been learning the dynamic nature of a modern mechanized battlefield heavily populated by armored units and advanced weaponry.

Experts like Bermudez note that while North Korea has historically been conditioned for conflict in Korea, this deployment exposes its troops to genuine war circumstances that diverge from their usual military preparations.

The Institute for the Study of War has raised concerns that if casualty rates persist, the majority of the 11,000 North Korean troops could be incapacitated by April, with recent estimates suggesting casualties may already be around 4,000.

The ramifications of North Korea’s experiences in Ukraine are yet to be fully understood and shall shape their military strategy moving forward.

While losses are heavy, North Korea may view these sacrifices as necessary for the tactical insights gained.

As noted by Madden, the situation represents a grim interpretation of on-the-job training, with further combat engagements needed to evaluate how North Korea adapts its tactics in light of Ukraine’s experiences.

What remains evident is that North Korea is acquiring critical knowledge for future conflicts, cultivating skills that render it a more formidable force in East Asia. The soldiers are observing the effectiveness of foreign weaponry supplied by the U.S. and its allies, incorporating this understanding into their operational frameworks.

Ultimately, they are confronting the realities of warfare in the most unforgiving way possible.

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