Anna Matveeva
Big news: North Korea is not a black hole. It is a country that is now sending its military to the other side of Eurasia.
Historically, Pyongyang’s problem has been its military’s lack of combat experience against a determined enemy. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has not fought in a significant conflict since the Korean War armistice in 1953. Yet, Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region provided a unique chance to master the art of war.
In October, after brief training in the Far East, up to 12,000 North Korean troops out of the 1.3 million-strong army were deployed to the battlefields in Russia.
DPRK provides its military assistance under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement, which came into effect last week. The treaty commits the parties to mutual defense against external attack. This provision legitimizes the involvement of North Korean troops as long as they fight on Russia’s internationally recognized territory.
North Korea’s three brigades are conducting combat operations in Kursk and defending the neighboring Belgorod region, allowing Moscow to free up troops for an offensive in Ukraine. The North Korean military will likely learn to operate drone technology and use Russian weapons.
No comments:
Post a Comment