Why does Russia need North Korean troops to fight alongside its troops in Ukraine?

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un signed a secret “mutual assistance agreement” in June that may have facilitated the transfer of ammunition and missiles – and now personnel.

The rumored transfer of large numbers of North Korean troops comes amid Ukrainian media reports that Putin is struggling to mobilize more Russians as concerns grow at home about the length and cost of the war, both financially and in terms of casualties. Last week, The New York Times reported that September was the “bloodiest” month yet for Russian troops fighting in the war. Since the start of the war, 115,000 Russians have been killed and 500,000 wounded.

This week, the Kyiv Post quoted Ukrainian military sources as saying that up to 3,000 North Korean soldiers would be supplied with small arms and ammunition before being deployed in “high-risk operations to relieve pressure on Russian forces.”

What role do North Korean soldiers play in the conflict?

Although details of the Putin-Kim deal were never made public, media reports said several thousand North Korean soldiers were being trained in Russia and could be deployed to the front lines by the end of the year.

That's in addition to dozens of North Korean technicians who have reportedly been sent to Ukraine to help deploy exported weapons, including KN-23 ballistic missiles.

As the Guardian reported last week, North Korean employees who provided technical advice to their Russian counterparts are believed to have died after a Ukrainian missile attack on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk earlier this month.

What does North Korea get in return?

Kim's regime stands to benefit financially and militarily, although closer ties with Russia will only increase his isolation in the international community.

North Korea, which has been under UN sanctions for decades over its nuclear and missile programs, is constantly looking for new sources of foreign currency – and supplying hardware to the Kremlin almost certainly comes with a quid pro quo.

The country's already fragile economy was hit hard by the closure of borders with China – by far its largest trading partner – during the Covid-19 crisis and has yet to fully recover.

North Korean civilians reportedly sent to Ukraine to rebuild destroyed infrastructure in Russian-controlled areas represent another source of funds, defying a U.N. order to send back all North Korean migrant workers by the end of 2019.

North Korea's army generals could learn valuable lessons about warfare as the country ratchets up tensions with South Korea and its allies, while the conflict in Ukraine gives the regime a chance to assess how good – or bad – its munitions and missiles are in a real-world scenario war environment function.

When Kim visited Putin in Russia last year, he was reported to have discussed possible Russian help with the North's troubled spy satellite program.

How did Ukraine and its allies react?

Citing Ukrainian intelligence briefings that confirmed North Korea's “actual involvement” in the war, Zelensky said in a Telegram post this week that their presence proves that Ukraine needs more international support to put pressure on Russia and “a to prevent a bigger war.”

The US said it was “concerned” by the reports, which the Kremlin described as “fake news”.

Sean Savett, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said any North Korean involvement in the war would mark a significant intensification of defense ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. “Such a move would also represent a new level of desperation for Russia as it continues to suffer significant battlefield losses in its brutal war against Ukraine,” Savett said.

U.S. Army Indo-Pacific commander Gen. Charles Flynn said the North could get real-time feedback on its weapons – know-how it has not been able to acquire through its long but largely peaceful standoff with South Korea.

“This is different because they provide capabilities and – open source reporting – there is also a workforce that is over there,” Flynn said at an event in Washington. “This kind of feedback from a real battlefield to North Korea to be able to make adjustments to its weapons, its ammunition, its capabilities and even its population is very concerning to me.”