North Korea Strengthens Military Support for Russia Amid Ukraine Conflict

Iruni Kalupahana JadeTimes Staff

I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Russia-Ukraine war

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Image Source: Vladimir Smirnov

North Korea has sent another 3,000 troops to Russia early in 2025, further cementing its military partnership with Moscow. The reinforcements were confirmed by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, which said Pyongyang has now deployed a total of 11,000 soldiers to help Russia in its protracted war with Ukraine. The move underscores North Korea's unflinching support for Russia when world leaders are making efforts to end the three years war.

Other than manpower, Pyongyang has also been giving Moscow extensive military equipment support. The short range ballistic missiles, self propelled howitzers, and multiple rocket launchers have all been delivered. According to the South Korean military, this provision will increase according to the need in the battle field. Other sources report that North Korean casualties from the fight amount to over 4,000. It seems Pyongyang has not yet had any lessons regarding its risk factor.

At the same time, diplomatic relations between Russia and North Korea are also intensifying. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko confirmed that they are expecting a visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to Russia. This followed Kim's meeting with Russia's top security official Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang, where the two reaffirmed defense commitments. The two nations have strengthened their military ties since signing a landmark defense pact last year, promising to assist one another in the event of an attack.

As North Korea aligns itself more closely with Russia, Western leaders are meeting in Paris to discuss continued support for Ukraine and long term regional stability. The meeting follows deadlocked White House attempts to broker a ceasefire. Although Russia and Ukraine recently assented to a ceasefire in attacks in the Black Sea, Moscow has made any additional de-escalation dependent on the lifting of economic sanctions, highlighting the diplomatic impasse.

The United States has expressed concern about the strategic ramifications of Russia-North Korea collaboration. Washington is concerned that Russia may be handing over sophisticated space and satellite technologies to Pyongyang in return for military assistance. If verified, the exchanges would boost North Korea's defense capabilities, further muddying global security dynamics.

There are accounts that North Korean soldiers deployed in Russia's Kursk region suffered heavy losses, and there was a partial withdrawal from the battlefield in January. Some North Korean soldiers have become so desperate, according to Ukrainian officials, that they have blown grenades to avoid capture. The brutality of their participation indicates the intensity of the fighting and Pyongyang's deep ideological stake in the Kremlin.

Aside from military assistance, economic and humanitarian cooperation between Russia and North Korea has also grown. Russia has provided Pyongyang with coal, food, and medicine, while North Korea has provided treatment for injured Russian soldiers. Russian orphans who lost their parents in the war have also been invited to North Korea under cultural exchange initiatives.

As the war continues, Ukraine and Russia maintain their offensives. In the latest escalation, Russian drone strikes on Kharkiv injured at least nine civilians and damaged infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, stating that no nation should suffer such devastation. With diplomatic efforts failing to gain traction, the deepening North Korea-Russia partnership could prolong the war further and reshape global power dynamics.