Norks send troops to Russia

| October 19, 2024

 

South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) reports that North Korea is sending the first 1,200 of 15,000 troops to train and fight in Russia.

That information comes a day after Ukraine’s spy boss told us that there are currently nearly 11,000 North Korean troops in eastern Russia, who will be ready to fight by Nov. 1. On Friday, Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR), told us that figure was revised upward to 11,800. At least six of Pyongyang’s forces, as we previously noted, have already been killed in Ukraine.

The North Korean soldiers dispatched to Russia “are currently stationed at Russian military bases in the Far East, including Vladivostok, Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk, and Blagoveshchensk,” South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) stated in a new assessment released Friday.

To move these troops, the Russian Navy entered North Korean waters for the first time since 1900, according to NIS.

“…four landing ships and three escort ships belonging to the Russian Pacific Fleet completed the first transfer of approximately 1,500 North Korean special forces from the areas near Chongjin, Hamhung, and Musudan to Vladivostok, Russia during the same period, and a second transport operation is expected to take place soon,” NIS explained.

With more than 120,000 troops, North Korea has one of the world’s largest special operations forces. They are tasked with five basic missions: conducting reconnaissance, performing combat operations in conjunction with conventional operations, establishing a second front in South Korea’s rear areas, countering South Korean/U.S. special operations forces in North Korea’s rear area, and maintaining internal security. Above all else, causing mayhem deep behind the front lines during a war with the South would be on the top of their to do list. It is known that these troops are North Korea’s most hardened and go through extremely harsh training. Videos of their brutal demonstration have been circulating for years.

Guess I have to find a copy of the old “Best of The Best” movie again…

The North Korean soldiers “were issued Russian military uniforms and Russian-made weapons, and were also issued fake ID cards for residents of the Yakutia and Buryat regions of Siberia who look similar to North Koreans. It appears that they disguised themselves as Russian soldiers to hide the fact that they were deployed to the battlefield.

It’s not just troops – Putin released a draft of an agreement to the Duma (Russian congress) laying out a NATO-style military assistance plan for approval. Not to mention a bit of ammo:

NIS “assessed that North Korea had provided Russia with a total of 13,000 containers of shells, missiles, and anti-tank rockets, as well as other lethal weapons, on approximately 70 occasions since August of last year.”

…weapons North Korea provided to Russia included 122mm and 152mm shells, Bulsae-4 anti-tank missiles, short-range ballistic missiles such as the KN-23, and RPG anti-tank rockets,” the South Korean spy agency assessed. “Considering the size of containers loaded on cargo ships traveling between North Korea and Russia, it appears that a total of more than 8 million 122mm and 152mm shells have been provided to Russia so far.”

Pyongyang’s greatest asset is the number of troops it has, with one of the largest standing armies on earth. While many are poorly trained and fed, Kim could trade large numbers of troops to Russia in exchange for things it desperately needs – hard currency, food and other goods, and military assistance. Russian doctrine is on display in Ukraine, flowing huge numbers of troops in so-called “meat assaults” against Ukrainian positions. Even untrained North Koreans would help Russia continue to carry out those attacks. North Korea will also gain highly valuable combat experience on a modern battlefield, something it currently lacks. The War Zone

Interesting level of escalation. Sure hope the Nork’s DEI training is complete so they can be combat effective. I have an old buddy is who is both a former Korean and Russian linguist…wonder if he is starting to sweat?

Will really get interesting if there is any falling out between China and Russia – would put North Korea in an “interesting” position.

Category: International Affairs, North Korea, Russia

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TopGoz

I think there are only benefits for North Korea in this. As mentioned, their troops will get actual combat experience, but they’ll also get fed. Even if they end up dead, that’s not seen as a cost by the North Korean government as people are expendable and the value of a human life is measured in terms of their ability to serve the state.
The “Ukrainian Front” could also be a useful cudgel for under-performing military brass, similar to the “Eastern Front” oft mentioned in Hogan’s Heroes.

Anonymous

Is win-win, comrade!
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Army-Air Force Guy

No, of course the language differences won’t affect the command, control, and communications on the battlefield.

5JC

8 million shells is an 80 day supply for Russia in the Ukraine theater. It will ease their load somewhat.

KoB

I guess that the more Nork Cannon Fodder and ammo sent to Russia is that many less Nork Cannon Fodder and ammo available to kill American and ROK Troops when the time comes. Tell what would be funny as all hell to me…The Nork troops defect to the ‘kranian side and fight for them. Heh heh

26Limabeans

In the famous words of Rodney King,”can’t we all just get along”
Or was it get a loan?…I forget.

Hack Stone

He also said “I don’t get no respect…”

jeff LPH 3 63-66

He Purloined that saying from Rodney Dangerfield.

Hack Stone

22,000 North Korean POWs decided to explore other career options after the armistice instead of going back to the warm embrace of Dear Leader.

When Hack was working as a slimy contractor for Marine Corps Intelligence, one of his coworkers made the observation that once North Korean troops rolled over the DMZ and saw all the convenience stores overflowing with readily available products, they will come to the realization that they bet on the wrong pony and willingly give up the fight for three hits and a cot.

https://theconversation.com/north-korean-pows-seeking-last-chance-to-return-home-after-decades-in-exile-79929

26Limabeans

I get a chuckle out of pulling up my Hanes briefs each
morning and seeing the tag “made in Vietnam”.
You just know that someday there will be Hanes briefs with
tags that say “made in Korea”.

KoB

Just bought, Thursday, a pair of Liberty “Farmer’s” Overalls that were made in The Viet of The Nam. A pair of Carhartt’s “Carpenter’s” purchased at the same time were made in India. The Liberty is of a much lighter weight of denim than the Carharrt. You have to wonder just how much “Liberty” is available to the Vietnamese People these days. Being as I have never bought any Carharrt product and it’s been a reeeeeeaaal looooooong time since my last Liberty purchase, the level of spendy required kinda sorta hurt my feelings. My old Liberty are still semi serviceable, tho worn in places. They also seem to have shrunk since I bought them these many years ago. Imagine that.

Dennis - not chevy

It’s the closet monster, remember the monsters that lived in your closet when you were young? They really exist and, once you reach a certain age, they shrink all of your clothes. There’s no stopping them.

Anonymous

Bastards! 🙂

26Limabeans

Just laundered my Carhartt coveralls for the
upcoming winter of snowplowing, wood cutting
and other fun stuff.
Can’t tell where they were made cuz the tag is
bleached out from at least twenty years of use.
Still servicable and might even outlast me.
My winter coat, also a Carhartt, is at least ten
years old and the tag says “made in Mexico”.

5JC

My Carhartt jacket is made in the US.

jeff LPH 3 63-66

I have solid wool LLBean shirts that were made in the USA. All of those old companies that made clothing are now made outside of the USA. Bought a pair of shorts in wallmart a number of years ago that were made in The Viet of The Nam and made with rip stop nylon from the material that the US left behind when they left.

26Limabeans

LLBean is one of my favorite clothing stores.
Glad I bought boo coo extra shirts and socks
many years ago and have them in storage.

Hack Stone

When you have to rely on North Korea to provide you ammunition, you have serious logistic chain issues.

5JC

They aren’t the only ones. It would take the US 13.5 years to produce 8M shells.

Slow Joe

We don’t rely on tube artillery anymore. We haven’t for decades.

5JC

We haven’t fought a conventional war since Korea either. If we get trapped into one it won’t go well.

11B-Mailclerk

Desert Storm wasn’t “conventional”?

RCAF-CHAIRBORNE

Too bad the powers that be didn’t allow the job to be completed in ’91

rgr769

If we had, there would have been no invasion and subsequent insurgency in Iraq. No Iraqi army, no more Saddam.

RCAF-CHAIRBORNE

It would have saved a hell of a lot of lives and money

A Proud Infidel®™

So much for the “Great Russian Army” now having to be propped up by the Norks, I wonder how many will defect? I’m sure that all of them have spent their entire lives in North Korea, will they be able to function outside of it?

President Elect Toxic Deplorable Racist SAH Neande

There’s a switch.
NORK sending weapons, ammo, and troops to Russia.

RCAF-CHAIRBORNE

Probably selling them back their old Soviet era junk that they got for free decades ago

Anonymous

Great sale opportunity for their new-built T-62 variants– substantial discount for payment in gold or hard currency!
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Hack Stone

We Finance E1 And Up.

jeff LPH 3 63-66

Those officers in the above pic wearing medals right below their jackets on the leg must be Army Infantry..

26Limabeans

If they were Signal they would be wearing hunter orange vests.

jeff LPH 3 63-66

-.– — ..- .-. .-. .. –. …. –

RCAF-CHAIRBORNE

It’s called the Ow Mi Dong gong

Last edited 3 months ago by RCAF-CHAIRBORNE
11B-Mailclerk

Those are 6 month “no clap” badges.

RCAF-CHAIRBORNE

If the Ukes want 90% of NorK troops to defect immediately, just throw a BBQ

Hack Stone

Hack Stone is willing to bet that none of those North Korean troops ever had the pleasure of a Korean Barbecue. Shit, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a Korean Barbecue restaurant in Annandale.

Did Hack Stone really just write “cat” when speaking of Korean restaurants? Send him off to DEI Reeducation Camp.

RCAF-CHAIRBORNE

I love Korean kitty, just not on the BBQ 😉
I’m bet Russian rations are better than anything the NorKs have ever had!

Marine0331

Those goofballs in the picture look like a battalion of Stolen Valor imbecilic morons. To date, I have yet to see an American phony veteran pin his or her awards on their trouser leg. Thats a new one to me!!!