New report claims North Korean soldiers are too ‘poorly trained’ to be sent into battle, after Zelensky claims Kim’s army has already engaged Ukraine

A new report has muddied the already chaotic waters of the Ukraine war, with the world’s most ominous partnership apparently hitting a dire snag.

Eight weeks ago, the world was hit with the unnerving news that North Korea had sent some 10,000 troops to Russia to aid Vladimir Putin’s war effort against Ukraine.

Analysts were immediately alarmed, warning the overt announcement of a military partnership following Vladimir Putin’s chumming-up trip to North Korea earlier in the year was proof another “axis” to defy the West was forming.

But over a month later, details of the hermit state’s battalion and exactly what it is getting up to in Russia have been hard to verify. There were immediate reports that two dozen North Korean soldiers had fled their ranks, sparking a frantic manhunt.

Volodymyr Zelensky last month claimed North Korean soldiers had come into direct conflict with Ukrainian troops, which prompted alarmist calls that we had already entered World War III.

“Some of these troops have already taken part in hostilities against the Ukrainian military. Yes, there are already losses, this is a fact,” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian leader did not elaborate on which side had suffered casualties in the reported incident.

But now, a report by UK publication The Standard claims Kim’s troops have not seen a wink of action due to their poor training and lack of logistic support.

The article cites an anonymous “Western official”, who asserts that the North Korean troops had not yet entered battle.

“We say due to poor training and lack of logistic support as the primary reasons why DPRK haven’t started the fight yet,” said one official.

Russia has been grasping for resources from allied nations after facing compounding pressures by the almost three-year international conveyor belt of support for Ukraine.

Approximately 11,000 North Korean troops are part of the combined forces, according to US intelligence officials. Picture: Ed Jones/AFP

The US has since retaliated to the news of North Korea’s involvement, authorised the use of long-range missiles to target Russian positions deep inside Russia, a decision that was met with widespread criticism from Republicans who claimed Joe Biden was needlessly provoking Putin before he leaves office.

The long-range missiles have already allowed Ukraine to strike targets beyond the immediate frontline, increasing the pressure on Russia’s already strained military.

As the artillery ratio on the frontline shifts, with Western supplies narrowing the gap to a 1:1.5 ratio in favour of Russia, the cost of the conflict continues to climb for both sides.

The war has eaten into both economies, but the human toll is truly staggering.

After weeks of conflicting claims, a new report has asserted that Kim Jong-un’s men have not engaged in combat with Ukraine.

More than 700,000 Russian soldiers have been reported killed or wounded since the war began in February 2022, with Ukraine facing similar heavy losses.

The Ukrainian army is struggling to replace its fallen soldiers, while Russia, despite ongoing challenges like military aged men fleeing the nation, has managed to replenish its ranks through incentivised recruitment campaigns. The government is offering bonuses as high as three million roubles in some regions and even recruiting from its prisons to bolster the front lines.

However, the Western official quoted by The Standard says that while Russia has managed to fill its ranks, the quality of the replacements is questionable, with most reportedly receiving minimal training and preparation before strapping on their boots.

“It’s true that the Russians are able to replace the casualties that they have lost,” the official said.

“It has to be said that the quality of the replacements are very poor and the training is absolutely minimal.”

Putin’s reluctance to call for another full-scale mobilisation is seen as a way to avoid further political fallout.

Putin’s reluctance to call for another full-scale mobilisation is seen as a way to avoid further political fallout. (Photo by Aleksey Babushkin / POOL / AFP)

Whether North Korean soldiers have in fact entered the fray or not is beside the point for some. The cooperation between the two nations, one of which has one of the most questionable human rights records in the world today, has painted a dire picture for advocates of peace and progress.

Both nations have a strong distrust of the West and while neither have made official moves to escalate direct a conflict with the US and its allies, the tension remains higher than ever in recent memory.

In October, Zelensky gravely warned that the inclusion of North Korea in Russia’s plan to annex Ukraine was “the first step to a world war”, claiming that Iran was also backing Russia with “drones and missiles”.

Speaking alongside NATO chief Mark Rutte, Zelensky said there were North Korean soldiers already stationed in “occupied” Ukrainian territory held by Russia.

Mr Rutte said that the alliance had “no evidence that North Korean soldiers are involved in the fight, but we do know that North Korea is supporting Russia”.

‘Breakthrough’: Putin, Kim’s strengthening ties

Vladimir Putin made his first visit to North Korea in 24 years earlier this year, signing a “comprehensive strategic partnership pact” with Kim Jong-un.

The agreement bears a striking resemblance to NATO’s Article 5, stating that if either country is subject to armed aggression, the other will provide military and other forms of support.

Pyongyang was awash with Russian flags and dictator style portraits of Putin as he touched down in June.

US secretary of state Anthony Blinken said the meeting was an act of “desperation” by Russia to curry favour with anyone that can aid its “war of aggression”.

In return, the North Korean despot wants Russian technology to bolster his military arsenal, help in evading sanctions the United Nations has imposed because of its nuclear weapons program and probably a whole lot of food aid too.

In years gone by, Russia has tried to contain North Korea, which it shares a border with, and to temper its nuclear ambitions. Erratic autocrats and nukes are a concerning mix.

But with Moscow running out of friends and suffering from sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Putin has put those concerns aside.

The agreement between North Korea and Russia bears a striking resemblance to NATO’s Article 5, stating that if either country is subject to armed aggression, the other will provide military and other forms of support.

At the signing, Putin reasserted his vision for a “multipolar world,” which is effectively a return to the late 20th century when Washington and Moscow squared off at one another – but perhaps with the addition of Beijing.

“Today, we are fighting together against the hegemonist and neo-colonial practices of the United States and its satellites,” Putin said, ignoring that his invasion of Ukraine was the clearest recent example of neo-colonialism in action.

The new mutual defence agreement was part of a wide ranging strategic treaty. It comes days after the US and Ukraine signed an expanded security alliance.

“It is really a breakthrough document,” Putin told a news conference in the North Korean capital, adding that it provided, “among other things, for mutual assistance in case of aggression against one of the parties to this treaty”, Russian news agencies said.

Details are scant, but it could be similar to NATO’s article 5 where an attack on one member is an attack on all. Or it might not mean that, given how broad the term “assistance” is.

“Overused Western propaganda tropes can no longer hide their aggressive geopolitical intentions, including in north western Asia,” said Putin despite the fact it’s North Korea that has increasing threatened democratic South Korea.