"High Possibility of Deployment for Defense on Russian Mainland"
"Likely Received Around $2,000 Per Person"
Ukrainian intelligence authorities have identified that North Korean troops deployed to Russia are expected to be stationed soon in the Kursk region, a frontline area. Among the approximately 2,000 troops who moved earlier this month to the Russia-Ukraine conflict zone, some are anticipated to be deployed there, drawing international attention to what changes the North Korean forces might bring to the entrenched frontlines. Concerns are also rising that the deployment will continue periodically, as it is projected that the North Korean regime received funds worth about $2,000 (approximately 2.76 million KRW) per soldier from Russia in exchange for sending its nationals.
"Expected Deployment to Defend Russian Kursk Mainland"…Language and Training Deficiencies Are Key Issues
On the 22nd (local time), images of North Korean soldiers deployed in Russia posted on the Telegram channel of the Russian independent media Astra. [Image source=Astra (ASTRA) Telegram channel]
On the 22nd (local time), according to the Ukrainian local media Kyiv Independent, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Agency (GUR), stated in an interview with the U.S. military media Warzone, "North Korean troops are expected to arrive in Kursk Oblast on the 23rd to support Russian forces engaged with Ukrainian troops. Over 2,600 North Korean soldiers moved to the Russia-Ukraine conflict zone earlier this month," adding, "We are waiting for the first North Korean unit to arrive, and we will know the size of the unit in a few days."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said in a speech that day, "We have information that North Korea is preparing two brigades, each consisting of about 6,000 troops," emphasizing, "We know how to respond to them, and our partners should not hesitate to face these challenges. We must stop Russia and its accomplices together."
While Ukrainian authorities expect the North Korean troops deployed to Russia to be sent directly to the frontline, some speculate that due to language barriers and insufficient training, immediate frontline deployment may be difficult. It is anticipated that after several months of training, they will be assigned to defend Russian mainland before being dispatched to the frontline battlefield.
Russian military expert Vladimir Popov told the local media Moskovsky Komsomolets, "Although it is difficult for North Korean troops to be immediately deployed to the frontline due to language and cultural barriers with Russian forces and lack of combat experience, they can be assigned roles such as protecting and maintaining military infrastructure facilities on Russian soil," explaining, "If the North Korean troops are prepared, they could participate in the frontline at any time, but it will take at least six months to prepare them."
Concerns have also been raised that the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia will become a stable foreign currency earning method to sustain the North Korean regime. According to CNN, North Korean soldiers are estimated to have received allowances of about $2,000 per person, which is the monthly wage paid by Russian authorities to foreign mercenaries deployed overseas. Even assuming a deployment scale of 10,000 troops, this would generate $20 million (approximately 2.76 billion KRW) monthly.
The British publication The Economist also reported, "Foreign mercenaries deployed to Russia come from diverse nationalities including Sri Lanka, Serbia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, India, and Egypt," adding, "Their monthly salary is generally around $2,000, and unlike Russian soldiers, foreign mercenaries do not receive compensation for their families if they die, which is an advantage for Russia in employing foreign mercenaries."
It appears that most of this allowance will have to be handed over to North Korean authorities. Deutsche Welle (DW) pointed out, "North Korea manages the passports of overseas dispatched workers and requires them to remit 70% of their foreign currency earnings," criticizing, "Soldiers must fight risking their lives but are being sent to the battlefield unpaid."
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