North Korean Troops Suffer Heavy Losses in Russia's Ukraine Offensive
Recent reports indicate that North Korean troops deployed to support Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine have faced significant casualties, leading to their apparent withdrawal from the front lines. The Ukrainian military has stated that it has not perceived any North Korean forces for several weeks, a claim echoed by South Korea's intelligence agency, which also reports no recent sightings of their participation.
These North Korean soldiers, touted as some of the best-trained within their military, were reportedly utilized as cannon fodder in high-risk human wave assaults, most notably in the Russian region of Kursk. This use of foreign troops as disposable resources in the conflict highlights a disturbing trend within Russia's military strategies.
The pattern of employing foreign and mercenary soldiers in Ukraine is well-documented, with groups like the Wagner Group, formed predominantly of convicts, suffering massive losses—around 20,000 fighters—during key battles such as the one for Bakhmut, according to research by the International Campus for Security and Defense (CISDE).
The British Ministry of Defence has criticized the Kremlin for its apparent waste of lives, labeling its strategy as grotesque, particularly in how it employs troops in suicidal missions against Ukrainian defenses. North Korean forces appear to be following a similar pattern, receiving assignments that heavily contradict their elite training, like mine clearance and attacks on well-fortified positions.
Military experts, including Seth Jones from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), have analyzed these tactics, noting that Russia continues to engage in a war of attrition reminiscent of Soviet-era combat styles that prioritize high human costs over strategic gains.
While Russia has made strides in areas such as electronic warfare and drone usage, its reliance on manpower-intensive strategies necessitating significant losses remains unchanged. Despite Ukraine's successful retention of some territories in Kursk, Russian military pressure in the area has escalated. However, experts caution that Moscow's pool of available soldier recruits is far from infinite, raising questions about the sustainability of its current military approach.
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