Thousands of North Korean soldiers sent to die on the Ukrainian front, kamikaze drones hitting cities, and a relentless flow of weapons and resources: the military pact between North Korea and Russia has turned into a cynical business. Kim Jong-un trades human lives for oil, money and technology, while North Korean factories work day and night to feed the Russian army. To seal this deadly cooperation, a symbolic provocation that disturbs the world: North Korean soldiers could march on Red Square on May 9, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory. An agreement that embodies the brutality and cynicism of a conflict that shows no signs of stopping, while Ukraine continues to bleed.
North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia were given fake military documents with Russian names and places of birth, according to a Ukrainian special forces report. “This case once again confirms that Russia is resorting to every means to hide battlefield losses and the presence of foreigners”declared Zelenskijin in an official speech.
The documents, seized after the killing of three North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region, contained falsified information such as the place of birth listed as the Tuva People’s Republic. However, the signatures in Korean exposed the true origin of the fighters.
Losses among North Korean soldiers deployed in Ukraine continue to rise dramatically. More than 3,000 men were killed or wounded in the Kursk region, according to statements by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy, who cited intelligence reports. “The brutality of the conflict spares no one, not even those fighting on behalf of authoritarian regimes”, Zelensky added during a meeting with international media.
A video analyzed by OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) researchers shows North Korean troops training in the Primorsky Krai region, where a Russian officer defines them as “indispensable foreign reinforcements”.
KCNA, North Korea’s official news agency, announced that Kim Jong-un has given the green light to the large-scale production of kamikaze drones, defined as “crucial elements for contemporary conflicts”. According to the Times, some of these devices have already been used in Ukraine. In exchange, Moscow would transfer advanced military technologies, including designs for Lancet-model drones, to Pyongyang.
Meanwhile, international concern is growing over the possible participation of North Korean soldiers in the parade in Red Square on May 9th. A ‘symbolic’ gesture which, according to the Wall Street Journal, would establish the alarming consolidation of the alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang: an anti-Western axis capable of further destabilizing international security.
The military pact between Russia and North Korea is increasingly shaping up as a bloody business. Pyongyang provides men, drones and munitions in exchange for oil and money, with dozens of North Korean factories working at full capacity to meet Moscow’s demands. It is estimated that at least 1.5 million artillery shells have been transferred from North Korea to Russia over the past year.
Despite the serious human losses, Kim Jong-un seems willing to continue this collaboration. “Drones represent a new paradigm of warfare, and their use is essential in conflicts large and small”, Kim said during a meeting documented by KCNA.
In the medium term, the agreement between the two regimes could provoke a military escalation on several fronts. The use of kamikaze drones, combined with the transfer of Russian military technology to Pyongyang, accentuates tensions in East Asia, pushing Japan and South Korea to strengthen their defenses and consolidate strategic alliances with the United States. This pact could trigger a dangerous domino effect, with global repercussions.
