The use of facial recognition technology and drones to monitor Russian training facilities revealed a large North Korean military presence, prompting immediate Ukrainian counter operations.
There are many updates today from Russia. After heavy losses and modest territorial gains, Russian troops urgently needed to replenish. The Russian president, however, rejected a new mobilization wave, citing concerns about potential unrest in the public and a decline of popular support.
North Korea had already provided thousands of artillery rounds and ballistic missiles. This time the request was made for manpower. The Ukrainian High Command, aware of the potential danger posed by an influx of new troops on the frontlines, took decisive action to reduce this threat.
In recent months, Russia has focused on engaging Ukrainian forces on multiple fronts in order to thin their defenses and achieve a major breakthrough. In May, Russian forces opened a second front in the northern Kharkiv Oblast to support this effort. This maneuver did not lead to a major collapse in Ukrainian defenses. In a bold, unexpected move, Ukrainian forces launched a major offensive in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. This forced Moscow to redeploy its most experienced units out of Eastern Ukraine, thus increasing the urgent need for more troops.
Russia faces a shortage of manpower and recruitment challenges
Although Russia has vast reserves of manpower, the current rate of loss without a new mobilization wave is becoming increasingly unsustainable. The government has tried to attract recruits through a significant increase in financial incentives, and by focusing on candidates from economically depressed regions.
These measures may not be enough to meet the needs. A large-scale mobilization could lead to widespread unrest and destabilize the country. It may also embolden factions that are eager to exploit the growing anti-war sentiment in order to challenge the government.
Russia turns its attention to North Korean troops
The Russian military has always recruited foreign combatants, but this practice was mostly informal. They would promise high salaries or Russian citizenship. The close relationship between Russian president Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is changing this. Ukrainian officials warned recently of an agreement between two nations. Military Intelligence confirmed that North Korean soldiers were already training in Russian camps and signaling their possible deployment.
South Korea confirms that 12,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia
Several Western leaders initially denied these claims. However, the situation changed after South Korea’s National Intelligence Service revealed that 12,000 North Korean soldiers including 1,500 Special Forces had been transferred to Russian facilities for training. South Korean intelligence, in coordination with Ukrainian counterparts, used artificial intelligence facial recognition to identify North Korean officers in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast. In a statement, they said, “The direct cooperation between Russia and North Korea that was reported by foreign media has now been confirmed.”
Soon, the first video evidence that confirmed the presence of Korean troops on Russian soil emerged from a training ground. This was quickly followed by footage of them receiving Russian uniforms and equipment. The rapid response of the Ukrainian side was prompted by these developments and the numerous eyewitness accounts linking the presence of these units to training facilities in Russia or Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine.
Ukraine expands its strikes as North Korean troops spread throughout Russia
Residents shared geolocated footage from the aftermath of a drone strike that took place at night near the Russian capital. This deep-seated military infrastructure in Russia is crucial for training newly arrived North Korean troops. It makes it a prime target for Ukrainian precision strike.
Intelligence indicated that the 12,000 North Koreans were dispersed over multiple sites. Ukraine expanded its strikes to include military installations along the frontline. Ukrainian operators used Shark surveillance drones in order to monitor enemy activity and identify soldiers who were conducting training exercises on open fields. They took advantage of the opportunity and targeted the troops in the air with drones, transmitting precise coordinates while these maneuvers were taking place. HIMARS rockets with cluster munitions were used to launch a HIMARS strike. The Ukrainians showed their thorough preparation by releasing footage from two different drones. This demonstrated their superior drone capabilities. The footage ended with scenes of Russian emergency crews trying to administer first aid and retrieve the corpses of the fallen.
Overall, the deployment by North Korean troops in Ukraine to support Russian forces represents a significant escalation of the conflict and increases the risk of global instability. The Ukrainian military responded quickly, launching targeted attacks on training grounds and camp to neutralize the danger before it could manifest itself on the battlefield.
The impact on the broader scale remains uncertain, as both sides adapt to a changing situation. These strikes will likely intensify as Ukrainian intelligence closely tracks the movements of North Korean forces. They are aiming to cripple reinforcements and deter Kim Jong Un from committing more troops in the face rapidly mounting losses.
In our regular frontline reports, we team up with the military blog Reporting from Ukraine in order to keep you updated on what’s happening on the battlefield during the Russo Ukrainian war.
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