What's happened
As of mid-July 2025, North Korea has significantly expanded its military support for Russia's war in Ukraine, deploying over 11,000 troops and pledging additional forces and military engineers to the Kursk region. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's recent visit to Pyongyang reinforced a mutual defense pact signed last year, with both nations emphasizing strategic cooperation amid Western sanctions and regional security concerns.
What's behind the headline?
Strategic Alliance Amid Isolation
North Korea's deployment of thousands of troops and military engineers to Russia's Kursk region marks a rare and significant military collaboration between two heavily sanctioned states. This partnership provides Russia with critical manpower and logistical support amid heavy losses, while offering North Korea battlefield experience and access to advanced Russian military technology.
Mutual Benefits and Regional Implications
- For Russia: North Korea supplies disciplined troops and artillery shells, helping to bolster Russian forces in Ukraine, particularly in contested areas like Kursk.
- For North Korea: The alliance grants access to Russian oil, wheat, and potentially advanced military technologies, including satellite and missile guidance systems, enhancing its strategic capabilities.
Political Messaging and Propaganda
The secrecy surrounding North Korean troop deployments, including delayed official acknowledgment and controlled domestic messaging, underscores Pyongyang's sensitivity to internal and external perceptions. Public displays of mourning for fallen soldiers reinforce the regime's narrative of sacrifice and solidarity with Russia.
Limits and Risks
Despite pledges of "unconditional support," analysts caution that North Korea is unlikely to send troops directly into Ukraine to avoid international backlash and domestic unrest over casualties. The alliance also risks escalating tensions in Northeast Asia, prompting coordinated military responses from South Korea, the US, and Japan.
Forecast
This deepening military cooperation will likely continue, with Russia relying increasingly on North Korean manpower and North Korea leveraging the relationship for economic and technological gains. The partnership challenges Western efforts to isolate both nations and complicates regional security dynamics, necessitating vigilant monitoring and coordinated diplomatic responses.
What the papers say
Al Jazeera's Niko Vorobyov highlights the scale of North Korean troop involvement in Russia's war effort, noting that "North Korea is now a more important ally for Russia than Iran or China," and detailing the deployment of about 15,000 soldiers to the Kursk region. The report emphasizes the strategic partnership formalized in June 2024 and the mutual benefits, including Russian supplies of coal and fertilizers to North Korea.
The South China Morning Post provides insight into the operational aspects, quoting experts like Doo Jin-ho who suggest North Korean combat engineers may assist in key operations such as a potential Dnieper River crossing. It also notes Lavrov's public welcome of increased North Korean military involvement and the exchange of military technology, including components critical to North Korea's nuclear missile program.
Business Insider UK and The Japan Times report on the denial by Ukrainian intelligence of plans to triple North Korean troop deployments, contrasting with Russian and North Korean claims of expanded support. They also highlight the shipment of millions of artillery shells from North Korea to Russia, underscoring the material dimension of the alliance.
The New York Post and Al Jazeera detail Lavrov's recent visit to Pyongyang, where Kim Jong Un pledged "unconditional support" for Russia's actions in Ukraine. These sources describe the political symbolism of the visit and the mutual reinforcement of the alliance amid international sanctions.
The Independent and South China Morning Post discuss regional security concerns, including trilateral military drills by South Korea, the US, and Japan in response to the growing DPRK-Russia partnership. They also note the potential for technology transfers from Russia to North Korea, which could enhance Pyongyang's nuclear and missile capabilities.
Together, these sources paint a comprehensive picture of a deepening, multifaceted military and political alliance between North Korea and Russia, with significant implications for the Ukrain
How we got here
North Korea and Russia have strengthened ties since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Pyongyang deployed troops and supplied ammunition to support Moscow, formalizing a mutual defense pact in June 2024. This alliance marks a shift from North Korea's historical isolation and reflects shared interests against Western influence.
Go deeper
- How many North Korean troops are currently fighting in Ukraine?
- What benefits does North Korea gain from supporting Russia?
- How are South Korea and the US responding to this alliance?
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North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.
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Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.
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