Where is Russia Today?

Russia's dependence on North Korea is an illustration of desperation and failure in its military endeavors. Despite its boasts of military power, Russia's reliance on North Korea for ammunition and troops is a clear indication of its own military shortcomings and has exposed significant vulnerabilities in Russia's military. The fact that Russia has been forced to turn to a country with a relatively underdeveloped military like North Korea highlights the extent of its own capabilities' decline. This partnership may not be a game-changer for Russia, as Russia hoped, but rather a reflection of its own weakness. Ultimately, the developing Russia-North Korea partnership is a symptom of a larger problem - Russia's inability to achieve its military objectives through its own strength. As the conflict in Ukraine continues to drag on, it remains to be seen how long Russia can sustain its military efforts without a significant overhaul of its military strategy and capabilities.

The Alliance

The Russia-North Korea relationship has been years in the making. Initially Russia's offers to North Korea were limited to economic assistance and diplomatic support. However, as the years passed, their economic ties have deepened, and Russia has become one of North Korea's primary trading partners. The 2010s saw a significant expansion of their cooperation, with joint ventures and diplomatic exchanges becoming increasingly common.

Today through collaborative efforts, Russia and North Korea are able to provide each other with vital support addressing critical needs that bolster their respective global standings. Russia benefits from North Korea's help in alleviating ammunition shortages, while North Korea gains access to advanced technology, allowing both nations to strengthen their positions on the world stage.

Munitions

Driven by Russia's military struggles in Ukraine, North Korea has reportedly supplied Russia with at least 2.8 million artillery shells, and ballistic missiles to help alleviate its ammunition shortages. Reportedly half of Russia's shells used in Ukraine are from North Korea.

Dozens of ballistic missiles have also been supplied to Russia to damage and destroy cities in Ukraine, however there have been concerns about the quality of the ammunition. Approximately half of the North Korean missiles fired by Russia have malfunctioned and exploded mid-air, questioning their reliability.

In return, Russia has provided North Korea with resources such as food and energy, and has reportedly provided technologies for nuclear weapons and submarine missile launch systems which has supported North Korea in evading sanctions.

Troop Deployment

There are reports that North Korea has deployed close to 11,000 troops to support Russian forces, however North Korea denied these reports despite proof of troops fighting near Sudzha.

Troop Effectiveness

There are concerns regarding the effectiveness of North Korean troops and reports question the quality of training received by these soldiers. An ex North Korean soldier who defected to the United States warned that the troops would not be ready for battle due to a lack of training, and highlighted that North Korea had never fought in a major conflict.

Coming from an isolated nation, North Korean soldiers will face significant challenges in Ukraine due to their limited familiarity with the country and its terrain. Their military training has primarily taken place in the mountainous regions of North Korea, leaving them unprepared for the vastly different landscape of Ukraine's flat and expansive battlefields.

According to reports, North Korean soldiers in Russia have been equipped with advanced technology including night-vision goggles, thermal-imaging devices and illuminated gun sights. However, this may create challenges for the troops, as they are not accustomed to training with such equipment in North Korea. Additionally, they are fighting in a war where the use of drones is prevalent, which is another unfamiliar technology that may require significant adjustment.

Growing up in a country with limited food availability may potentially leave North Korean soldiers vulnerable to malnutrition. And the lack of mixing with other countries mean they may be vulnerable to illness as they come into contact with new people. South Korean researchers found that defectors from North Korea have higher rates of hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis and parasites.

Furthermore, language barriers have reportedly hindered communication between North Korean soldiers and their Russian counterparts, potentially compromising training and joint military operations. This communication gap may pose significant challenges on the battlefield where clear and effective communication is critical.

Conclusion

Russia has repeatedly relied on undertrained personnel, 'cannon fodder', to compensate for its military's skill and training deficiencies since the onset of the conflict. The Russian military has faced significant challenges in training its own personnel, which raises concerns about its capacity to provide adequate training to North Korean troops. Given these limitations, it is unlikely that Russia will be able to train North Korean forces to a satisfactory level of proficiency. It is likely that Russia is seeking to augment its numbers with troops from North Korea, who would be used to supplement its existing forces and mitigate losses incurred in Ukraine. This decision may be intended to enable Russia to continue its high-risk, high-casualty assaults, where the primary objective is to overwhelm enemy positions through sheer numbers rather than tactical finesse.

North Korea's pursuit of resources and partnerships has driven them to Russia, but this collaboration may come with a cost. Russia will likely use North Korean soldiers for their assaults as they did previously with Wagner and convicts, which would leave North Korea to bear the brunt of casualties. This would raise questions about the true benefits of this alliance for North Korea, as their military personnel would likely be put in serious harm's way.

Meanwhile, Russia's desperation for additional manpower has led them to seek out a partnership with a problematic ally, highlights the weaknesses in their position in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This move suggests that Russia's military strength and international standing may be more tenuous than it appears, as they resort to collaboration with a regime like North Korea, in order to bolster their illegal invasion of Ukraine. Avoiding depletion of their military capability beyond recoverable levels will be of key importance to Russia as the conflict progresses.