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On Thursday, six North Korean officers were reportedly killed in a missile attack on the Russian front line near the Donetsk region of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian sources. The information, reported to the Kyiv Post and Interfax-Ukraine by anonymous intelligence sources, speaks of more than twenty dead military personnel, including the six North Korean officers.
Another detail comes from the Russian Telegram channel Kremlin Snuffbox, which reports that three other North Korean officers were injured and transferred to Moscow for medical treatment. According to an anonymous military source, Russian soldiers were showing North Korean officers the tactics Moscow uses to prepare for offensive and defensive operations. As well as methods to counter US weapons, when the attack on the training camps took place.
Sending North Korean soldiers to Ukraine is nothing new, confirms Newsweek, citing the National Resistance Centre of Ukraine. The NRC had already reported in September 2023 that Russian President Vladimir Putin had convinced North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to send workers to the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk to take part in construction projects.
Seoul also confirms: the global impact of the military alliance between Russia and North Korea in the Ukraine conflict
The news is further corroborated by the statement of South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who said it was “highly likely” that the six North Korean officers were indeed killed in a Ukrainian missile strike on October 3, as reported by local media. The development comes amid an increasingly warming relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow, with North Korea potentially sending additional troops to support Russia’s war effort. “There are mutual agreements between Russia and North Korea that resemble a real military alliance,” the minister noted, speculating that the deployment of regular North Korean troops could take place soon.
Despite official denials from both the Russian and North Korean sides, the US and South Korea claim that Pyongyang has become a major supplier to Russia of weapons needed for the invasion of Ukraine. International analysts have also warned that the increased production and testing of North Korean artillery and cruise missiles could be a prelude to new shipments to Moscow.
The situation is further complicated by UN-imposed sanctions, which prohibit North Korea from conducting ballistic missile tests. In March, however, Russia used its veto power in the UN Security Council to block monitoring of violations, drawing public thanks from Pyongyang.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have continued to rise in recent months, following North Korean military tests and large-scale exercises in South Korea. At the same time, North Korea is considering abrogating a key 1991 inter-Korean agreement, which could mark a further deterioration in relations and officially confirm the South as an enemy of the North Korean state.
The historic alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang, which dates back to the creation of North Korea after World War II, now seems more solid than ever, especially since Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to the latest information, the alliance between Russia and North Korea is not limited to the deployment of troops, but also includes technological and logistical exchanges. Sources close to the top leadership of the Russian armed forces have revealed that Pyongyang is providing not only military personnel, but also advanced technology for the construction of defensive infrastructure in the occupied territories of eastern Ukraine.
The renewed alliance between Russia and North Korea: a strategic union in the Ukraine conflict and beyond
The North Korean presence on the Ukrainian front could have a significant impact on the dynamics of the conflict. The introduction of new military units could intensify the clashes and further prolong the war, complicating diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution. Increased military cooperation between Russia and North Korea could be a direct response to the growing international pressure and economic sanctions imposed on both countries. North Korea, which is globally isolated, finds in Moscow a strategic ally that allows it to maintain some influence and military support.
The death of six North Korean officers in Donetsk is a sign of North Korea’s deeper and more complex involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. The implications of this military alliance extend far beyond the battlefield, affecting global geopolitical dynamics and posing new challenges for the international community in its search for a lasting and peaceful solution.
The alliance between Russia and North Korea has undergone a significant evolution in recent years, becoming more formalized since 2022, when Russia sought new partners to deal with growing international pressure following its invasion of Ukraine. The relationship, originally rooted in the Soviet era, has been reinvigorated in recent years, mainly to meet common military and political needs.
Relations between Moscow and Pyongyang date back to the period immediately after World War II, when the Soviet Union played a key role in the creation of North Korea as a communist state. During the Cold War, Soviet support was essential to North Korea’s economic and military survival. In 1961, the two nations signed a Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, which included a mutual assistance clause in the event of conflict. However, this treaty was abrogated in 1996 when Russia began to seek better relations with South Korea.
In the following years, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang cooled, and Russia adopted a more balanced policy between the two Koreas. However, as global geopolitical tensions escalated and Russia’s relations with the West deteriorated, particularly due to the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin once again looked to North Korea as a strategic partner.
The conflict in Ukraine forced Russia to seek alternatives for military supplies and international support. In 2024, Putin and Kim Jong-un signed a new strategic partnership treaty that provides for closer military cooperation and a commitment to mutual assistance in the event of conflict. This renewed alliance offers immediate benefits to both countries:
For Russia, Pyongyang provides critical weapons and ammunition, such as artillery and short-range missiles, which are being used in the Ukraine conflict. Moreover, Moscow’s international isolation has made North Korea an important trading partner to offset economic sanctions, with Pyongyang providing manpower and natural resources in exchange for oil and other vital resources.
For North Korea, the alliance with Moscow provides economic and technological support for its weapons of mass destruction program, including cooperation on missile and nuclear technology. Russian support provides Kim Jong-un with the opportunity to further consolidate the regime and project power in the region.
Beyond the immediate benefits, the Russia-North Korea alliance fits into a broader context of global competition. Isolated from the West, Moscow is seeking to build a network of alliances with countries such as Iran, Syria, and North Korea to challenge the global order led by the United States and Europe. For its part, Pyongyang sees these partnerships as an opportunity to balance China’s influence while maintaining a degree of sovereignty in the face of Chinese influence.
The military and political alliance between Russia and North Korea is thus not only a response to the immediate needs of both countries, but also a strategic move within the framework of an increasingly fragmented world order. The war in Ukraine accelerated this convergence, as Moscow, searching for resources and allies, found a useful partner in Pyongyang, both militarily and economically.