North Korea has actually become a full participant in Russia's war against Ukraine, providing military assistance to Moscow and sending its military personnel to participate in hostilities.
This was stated by Ukrainian military analyst Oleksandr Musienko to FREEDOM TV. He stated that Pyongyang does not support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, violates the principles of international law and the UN Charter.
North Korea provides Russia with direct military support - both with weapons and personnel. “They support the aggression against Ukraine by sending their military and weapons. We know that North Korea has previously sent its units to participate in military operations against the Ukrainian military in the Kursk region. Now they are helping Russia with missiles, in particular with ballistic missiles of the KN-23 and KN-24 type“, the military analyst said.
Musienko noted that the increased cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang poses a threat not only to Ukraine, but also to the whole of Europe. “This is a threat not only to Ukraine. The axis of evil is constantly approaching Europe and the West. They are looking for ways to destroy the unity of NATO and the European Union, to threaten the countries of the Alliance. These are no longer just words – this threat is becoming more and more significant“, the analyst emphasized.
Russia is seeking to expand the circle of allies ready to support it in the war against Ukraine. “This shows that Putin intends to expand the war and constantly attract new allies who are ready to support Russia in this aggressive criminal war. That is why the West must once again mobilize its efforts in support of Ukraine“, the Ukrainian military officer noted.
The rapprochement between Russia and North Korea is the result of the depletion of Russian resources due to the prolonged war.
“We have effectively forced Putin to build deeper ties with North Korea, which he had previously practically ignored. Now he is forced to do this because Russia has spent a significant part of its reserves on war, they are running out, and Moscow needs external help“, the military analyst explained.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 30 that, according to preliminary information, Russia used a North Korean missile in the attack on a Ukrainian village, which killed six people. North Korea has been a close ally of Russia throughout much of the conflict in Ukraine. In addition to the missiles, it has provided Russia with thousands of troops and millions of artillery shells.
Some analysts see the resurgence of North Korean missiles as another sign of how Russia is gradually adapting its military economy, Reuters notes. Rather than relying entirely on domestic production, Moscow is increasingly using a network of external suppliers - notably North Korea and Iran - to compensate for sanctions imposed on it.