Russia Reportedly Organizing a 3,000 Soldier Strong North Korean Brigade for Combat in Ukraine
It looks like North Koreans are getting closer to becoming cannon fodder in Putin’s war in Ukraine:
The defense ministry said Wednesday it is “closely” monitoring for signs of North Korea possibly sending troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, following media reports of Russia forming a battalion of North Koreans.
Ukrainian media outlets earlier reported that Russia is organizing a special battalion that is expected to include up to 3,000 North Koreans due to manpower shortages amid concerns over deepening military cooperation between the two countries.
“As there is a possibility of (North Korea) providing troops or civilian personnel, this is being closely monitored,” a ministry official said when asked about the reports.
You can read more at the link.
Shameless propaganda.
“It looks like North Koreans are getting closer to becoming cannon fodder in Putin’s war in Ukraine”
Calling this Putin’s war ignores regional history since 1990 and certainly since 2014. This war belongs to a lot of people.
If South Korea’s performance in Vietnam is any indication, North Korean soldiers, especially the elite ones they send, will make far more fodder than they become.
Nobody has to agree with Putin’s decision or enjoy another step on the escalation ladder as another country joins this war, but it must be evaluated honestly. We must not lie to ourselves.
“due to manpower shortages”
Russia does not appear to be having serious manpower shortages. There are a number of ways to evaluate this. Ukraine does appear to have a manpower shortage.
North Korean soldiers fill the same need North Korean artillary did. Russia wasn’t running out of shells (and they aren’t running out of men). It is just what they need at the right price and it is a benefit for all.
The west lies to itself over and over.
But we must not lie to ourselves.
@Chickenhead, undoubtedly Kim will send some special ops forces to get them some combat experience in Ukraine. However that is not what Russia needs in this fight. They need manpower to charge and take Ukrainian frontline positions which is where the high casualty counts come from.
Russia may not have the same manpower shortage as Ukraine, but they are running out of expendable people from poor provinces and prisons to do the frontline charges. Putin would rather have North Koreans do this instead of men from St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Kim has plenty of expandables from his labor camps he can send to Ukraine to fight in this war that will not be missed back home. I seriously doubt he will be sending the sons of the regime elite in Pyongyang to do this hard fighting.