Perhaps NK is getting discounted resources for military support? The Russian far east is a vast, expansive, resource-rich area. Russia already uses NK laborers for milling, mining, etc.
Has that ever happened?
Nation state armies are not mercenaries you can buy with money. If you could, it would happen all the time.
Article says that NK is sending an engineering unit, so not entirely untrue. Also, nations have historically fought for money/economic benefits as well, where this war would slot in for NK.
No, its not saying even that.
There's been rumors about NK possibly sending an engineer unit, but nothing actually announced or confirmed.
Personally I think one of two things - commodities/resources at a better rate, or nuclear and/or military secrets.
Whatever it is, it must be worth the cost of pissing off the South Koreans unnecessarily.
Exactly, my point was that it's hard to see what's in it for them, which is why they probably aren't doing it, and in any case for now the story is still rumors, not news.
Of course, if NK starts to think there is an ideological cause worth fighting for, that would be a nation state reason.
However most don't consider Kim Jong-un to be much of an ideologue.
Putin has closely observed NK's strategies around SK and they've recently deployed a new type of weapon. It's light, unmanned, and devastating to all those directly below. Yes, Putin has his eyes set on the NK trash balloon. Victory is at hand.
Putin has closely observed NK's strategies around SK and they've recently deployed a new type of weapon. It's light, unmanned, and devastating to all those directly below. Yes, Putin has his eyes set on the NK trash balloon. Victory is at hand.
It was all speculation in the article, nowhere was it confirmed by a reliable source.
Also, Frankly I'm not sure the NK troops are an upgrade.
Also, I can't see NK sending the top troops, that would leave the NK vulnerable at home.
They do have a massive standing army though. I could see them sending a few thousand personnel and it wouldn't make much of a difference at home for them. It would probably be in the form of security forces in areas already under occupation to free up more Russians for frontline duty. Kind of like what France was proposing NATO do for Ukrainian forces.
I could definitely see Kim getting into the mercenary business purely for financial benefit and resources.
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"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
There's been rumors about NK possibly sending an engineer unit, but nothing actually announced or confirmed.
Technically from Russia's perspective they annexed the eastern provinces of Ukraine, so NK units working there to say help with air defense or logitistics they could argue are working entirely within Russia... so from that argument, they wouldn't be deployed to Ukraine, they'd be deployed to Russia.
I don't think Russia needs men, so I'm not sure why they would want to provoke anyone with this move, but still interesting to consider.
They do have a massive standing army though. I could see them sending a few thousand personnel and it wouldn't make much of a difference at home for them. It would probably be in the form of security forces in areas already under occupation to free up more Russians for frontline duty. Kind of like what France was proposing NATO do for Ukrainian forces.
I could definitely see Kim getting into the mercenary business purely for financial benefit and resources.
Yeah, they have a large standing army.
My experience with large standing Commie armies is the further you get from the actual point of the spear the worse the units/equipment become.
I full believe that's what the NK army is like.
Probably have some very good front line units, but as you move into reserves the quality drops off.
Now, I seem to recall reading years ago that NK had a good trade sending forestry workers to China for $$.
I could see them "selling" people to Russia as well. However, I don't reckon those that would be "sold" would fit into the Commander & Control of Russia. I don't reckon many would speak Russian and I don't reckon many Russians speak Korean.
It would be more meat into the meat grinder, but nothing quality.
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Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
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North Korea might actually see this as an opportunity for their troops to test their mettle against Western forces and in a proxy war before engaging South Korean and/or American troops.
Don't underestimate the North Korean's resolve of Songun, their prioritization of military readiness. Self-reliance (Juche) and asymmetric warfare are main components of their military doctrine. If they can be part of the defeat of a Western-aligned power, that could be a huge piece of victory propaganda and an internal story for the brainwashed masses. They may see value in testing their troops, tactics, equipment, intelligence gathering, and combat readiness that doesn't involve their own borders. North Korea have reliably been opportunistic when it comes to military matters.
And if it fails miserably, they can simply pin the blame on an incompetent Russian military operation rather than take any blame for themselves.
North Korea might actually see this as an opportunity for their troops to test their mettle against Western forces and in a proxy war before engaging South Korean and/or American troops.
Don't underestimate the North Korean's resolve of Songun, their prioritization of military readiness. Self-reliance (Juche) and asymmetric warfare are main components of their military doctrine. If they can be part of the defeat of a Western-aligned power, that could be a huge piece of victory propaganda and an internal story for the brainwashed masses. They may see value in testing their troops, tactics, equipment, intelligence gathering, and combat readiness that doesn't involve their own borders. North Korea have reliably been opportunistic when it comes to military matters.
And if it fails miserably, they can simply pin the blame on an incompetent Russian military operation rather than take any blame for themselves.
Meh Commie armies
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Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
Denmark has now finished the training of 50 Ukrainian F-16 ground crew, and will start the training of 50 more, and at the end of the year 20 Ukrainian F-16 pilots will be trained https://twitter.com/user/status/1806563118085976291
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Massive German arms delivery to Ukraine yesterday, including 40 tank systems, 22.000 artillery shells, three HIMARS, two modern air defense systems and much more.
Ukraine launched a big drone attack throughout the Krasnodar and Rostov regions. Two oil depots and a telecommunication tower were affected and badly damaged. https://twitter.com/user/status/1809847746163032074
Macron's election gambit seems to have paid off, have to wonder if Le Pen's perceived friendliness towards Russia over Ukraine was a difference maker. Putin's hopes for election help were thankfully thwarted.
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Macron's election gambit seems to have paid off, have to wonder if Le Pen's perceived friendliness towards Russia over Ukraine was a difference maker. Putin's hopes for election help were thankfully thwarted.
Sure, but Putin's big prize is only a few months away
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