"North Korean Forces Comprise Special Units and Regular Troops"
Expected to Serve as 'Meat Shields'... Death Rumors Circulate
Ukrainian media reported that an advance unit of North Korean troops deployed to Russia has arrived at the border area with Ukraine and is likely to be soon engaged in combat. It is known that both regular army and some special forces from North Korea have been deployed, and they are expected to be assigned to front-line areas with very high casualty rates. Some media outlets have reported that a small number of North Korean soldiers already deployed to the front lines suffered near-total annihilation, but no specific details have emerged.
"Approximately 3,000 troops moved to border area, some are special forces... combat deployment expected soon"
On the 30th (local time), according to the Ukrainian local media Kyiv Independent, about 3,000 North Korean soldiers arrived in Kursk Oblast, Russia, near the border with Ukraine, and they were stationed in barracks about 50 kilometers (km) from the border. They consist of regular troops and several hundred special forces and are expected to be deployed in combat soon.
Earlier, the Ukrainian government revealed that North Korea had dispatched about 12,000 troops to Russia, including 500 officers and 3 generals, and that they were undergoing training dispersed across five bases within Russia. Accordingly, it is anticipated that more North Korean troops will arrive at the border area with Ukraine and be deployed in combat.
It remains uncertain what role the deployed North Korean troops will play in combat, but experts believe that since the North Korean vanguard has been sent to Kursk Oblast, known as the so-called "meat grinder," they are likely to serve as cannon fodder.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) pointed out, "Even if North Korean special forces have been deployed, they are primarily trained for assassination and infrastructure sabotage in mountainous terrain on the Korean Peninsula, so their specialties are not needed in the open plains trench warfare of the Ukraine war," adding, "They likely have never been outside North Korea and only possess outdated conventional equipment."
Professor Christoph Bluth, an expert in international relations and security at the University of Bradford in the UK, also noted, "Even if North Korean troops spend a lot of time in the military, the quality of their equipment and training is questionable," and added, "While the Russian military is known for disregarding soldiers and sending them to their deaths, the North Korean leadership shows even less respect for human life, so they are likely to become human shields and cannon fodder."
Rumors of North Korean troop deaths already spreading... no concrete details yet
Some claims have emerged that a small number of North Korean troops were deployed to certain front lines and suffered near-total annihilation, but no concrete details have been provided. It is analyzed that the deployed North Korean troops are still facing difficulties in basic communication with Russian forces, so more time is needed before they can be dispatched to the front lines.
On the 29th, Jonas Oman, head of the Lithuanian NGO Blue Yellow, said in an interview with the local public broadcaster LRT, "The first engagement between North Korean and Ukrainian forces occurred on the 25th, resulting in multiple casualties," and added, "I understand that all but one North Korean soldier died in the first battle." However, no specific combat situation or details were provided.
Ukrainian intelligence confirmed the arrival of the North Korean vanguard unit at the border area but believes that due to the significant language barrier with Russian forces, immediate deployment to the front lines is unlikely. In intercepted communications released by Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Agency (HUR) on the 27th, Russian troops stationed in Kursk Oblast discussed language communication issues with North Korean soldiers.
In the intercepted material, a Russian soldier said, "North Korean soldiers are already learning to speak using translators, and I am also using a translator. We are transmitting phrases like 'advance,' 'kill them all,' '300 wounded,' and 'evacuation needed' through the translator." It was also confirmed that three Russian soldiers and one interpreter were assigned to 30 North Korean soldiers.
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