“North Korea appears to be preparing to deploy additional troops and military equipment to Russia, possibly including kamikaze drones, in support of Moscow’s war against Ukraine, according to South Korea’s military.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Source: Yonhap citing South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)
Details: The assessment comes amid reports that North Korea has sent thousands of troops to fight on Russia’s side in the war against Ukraine, with casualties estimated by a South Korean intelligence agency at around 1,100.
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Literally JCS: “A comprehensive assessment of multiple intelligences indicates that North Korea is preparing to rotate or increase its troop deployment (in Russia), while currently supplying 240 mm rocket launchers and 170 mm self-propelled artillery.”
“There are also some signs that North Korea is moving toward the production and delivery of kamikaze drones, first unveiled during Kim Jong-un’s on-site inspection in November.”
Details: In the JCS, this step was explained by North Korea’s efforts aimed at gaining practical experience in conducting combat operations and modernizing its conventional weapons system.
North Korean state media reported last month that Kim had watched the test of various types of kamikaze drones and called for large-scale production of the weapon, which is becoming increasingly important in modern warfare due to its cost-effectiveness.
The JCS added that it had not seen any concrete signs of provocations by the DPRK as the country focuses on expanding military cooperation with Russia and stable domestic management ahead of a key party congress at the end of the year.
South Korea’s military, however, does not rule out the possibility that North Korea may stage an unexpected military provocation timed to coincide with an important political event, such as launching a medium-range ballistic missile with a hypersonic warhead.
Literally JCS: “As North Korea has to focus on supporting Russia next year, it will likely feel burdened by (the possibility of) provoking military tensions or conflicts that could lead to the creation of a new front.”
We will remind: Special operations forces announced the elimination of three more North Korean soldiers in Kurshchyna and the seizure of their documents, which show signs of forgery and are likely being used by Russia to hide the presence of North Korean troops.
Prehistory:
- On November 7, Zelenskyi said that there are already losses among North Korean soldiers fighting on the side of the Russian Federation in Kurshchyna.
- The United States confirmed that North Korean troops took part in hostilities in the Kursk region.
- In addition, according to The New York Times, a group of 50,000 Russian and North Korean troops is preparing to launch a large-scale counteroffensive in the Kursk region.
- On December 15, the military released photos and videos of Russian and North Korean soldiers killed in the Kursk region after Saturday’s assaults
- Later, the NYT, citing the words of a senior official of the US Department of Defense, reported that the Ukrainian military may have killed or wounded “several hundred” soldiers sent by North Korea to help Russia in the war against Ukraine.