North Korea sends more troops to Russia as security alliance deepens

North Korea has deployed at least 3,000 more soldiers to Russia this year, reinforcing Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine as global leaders push for a resolution to the ongoing conflict. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the reinforcements, sent in January and February, bringing the total number of North Korean troops in Russia to approximately 11,000.

According to Seoul, around 4,000 of them have been killed or injured in combat. Pyongyang has also provided a “significant amount” of short-range ballistic missiles and heavy artillery, with South Korean officials warning that North Korean military support is “expected to increase according to the situation.”

The revelation comes as European leaders and allies convene in Paris to discuss support for Ukraine amid faltering US efforts to broker a ceasefire. Following diplomatic talks in Saudi Arabia, Washington announced that both Russia and Ukraine had agreed to suspend attacks in the Black Sea and uphold a previously declared pause on strikes against energy infrastructure. However, Russia has conditioned its participation on the removal of sanctions on its banks and exports, underscoring the deep divide between the warring sides.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin have significantly strengthened their military alliance since signing a defense pact last year, pledging to provide immediate military aid to one another in the event of an attack. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu recently met with Kim in Pyongyang, where he delivered Putin’s “warmest wishes and greetings.” Shoigu assured Kim that the Kremlin was prioritizing the implementation of agreements between the two nations, according to Russian state media outlet TASS.

US officials have warned that Russia may be on the verge of providing North Korea with advanced space and satellite technology in exchange for its battlefield support. This would be in addition to the military equipment and training Moscow has reportedly been offering. South Korea has raised similar concerns, pointing to Pyongyang’s unveiling of new AI-powered attack drones and a reconnaissance drone that may have Russian components. South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Lee Seong-jun stated that while the aircraft model is based on a North Korean design, “internal equipment and such parts could be related to Russia.”

Since at least November, North Korean troops had been stationed in Russia’s Kursk region to help repel Ukrainian incursions. However, they were withdrawn from the front lines in January following reports of heavy casualties. Ukrainian officials say North Korean soldiers have employed brutal and near-suicidal tactics, including detonating grenades rather than being captured. Some reportedly left behind handwritten pledges of allegiance to Kim Jong Un on the battlefield.

Reports have also emerged that Russia has been transporting North Korean troops using landing ships, with analysts tracking movements in Russia’s far east. South Korean lawmaker Yoo Yong-won, who visited Ukraine in February, cited Ukrainian intelligence indicating that around 400 North Korean soldiers had been killed and 3,600 injured as of late February.

Beyond direct combat support, North Korea has supplied thousands of shipping containers filled with munitions and related materials to Russia, while Moscow’s forces have launched North Korean-made missiles on Ukrainian territory. In return, Russia has provided North Korea with coal, food, and medicine, according to Russian Ambassador Alexander Matsegora. He also revealed that children of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine had spent the summer in North Korea and that the two nations are expanding student exchanges.

Despite ongoing ceasefire discussions, the war continues unabated. Russian forces launched a massive drone strike on Kharkiv late Wednesday, injuring at least nine people and damaging civilian infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, stating, “No country should have to go through this.”

Former US President Donald Trump, in an interview with *Newsmax*, suggested that Russia is open to ending the war but added, “It could be they’re dragging their feet.” Meanwhile, the deepening military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang are raising alarms in Washington, Seoul, and beyond, as North Korea’s role in the conflict grows increasingly significant.