The Guardian: Kim Jong-Un Is Taking Big Risk
4- 5.11.2024, 11:27
- 5,692
Photo: AFP
Most of his soldiers will die in Ukraine.
Inexperienced, poorly trained and hungry troops of the DPRK went to Russia to participate in the war against Ukraine, writes The Guardian.
After weeks of speculation, NATO and the Pentagon have confirmed that about 10,000 North Korean troops are already in Russia, particularly near the Ukrainian border in Kursk, where they could enter the fighting in the coming days. As U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted, “Russia trained them in artillery, drones, and infantry operations,” preparing them for frontline combat.
Although their participation will help Russia avoid mobilization, experts doubt the effectiveness of these units due to their lack of experience. Soldiers, most of whom are young people under the age of 20, are not used to fighting on the plains and will fight in uniform with the symbols of Russia, which are little known to them.
North Korean soldiers previously participated only in the Korean War in the 1950s, and in recent years have provided military assistance to other countries as consultants. Now they are equipped with Russian weapons, in particular assault rifles, mortars and sniper rifles.
Analysts note that this is a historic decision for North Korea, because it has not sent large ground troops abroad before. However, as An Jang-Il, a former North Korean officer, noted:
“Kim Jong-un is at risk. Unless there are a lot of losses, he will get what he wants to a certain extent. But things will change a lot if a many of his soldiers die in battle.”
For many North Koreans, fighting in Russia is a chance for pride and an opportunity to earn money to support families. Their families, according to South Korean intelligence, have been relocated to unknown locations to ensure the confidentiality of the deployment.
Choi Jong-hoon, a former officer who now heads an activist group in Seoul, misses his compatriots, whom he considers cannon fodder:
"They will be sent to the most dangerous positions. I'm sure most of them will die.”
The coming weeks will show whether Russia will live up to its hopes for a military unit that finds more weaknesses than real advantages in the conflict.
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