International
North Korean forces return to battlefield for Russia after suffering 4,000 casualties
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- North Korean troops returned to the battlefield alongside Russian forces after disappearing for weeks. The nation’s forces have suffered heavy casualties.
- A Ukrainian platoon commander told local media Wednesday, while Pyongyang’s soldiers are back, they’re returning in smaller units.
- The commander stated that North Korean fighters currently operate in units of 10 to 15 soldiers rather than in groups of 50.
Full Story
North Korean troops have returned to the battlefield alongside Russian forces after disappearing from the front lines for weeks. The nation’s forces have suffered heavy casualties while fighting with Moscow.
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Center 38%
Right 38%
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What’s changed?
While Pyongyang’s soldiers are back, a Ukrainian platoon commander told local media Wednesday, Feb. 26, that they’re returning in smaller units.
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Local media reported that North Korean fighters now operate in units of 10 to 15 soldiers as opposed to previously working in groups of 50.
Why have their tactics changed?
It’s likely that tactics have changed after learning from the first wave of North Koreans on the front lines, who were primarily used in meat-wave style attacks and were easily targeted by Ukrainian drones.
Ukraine stated that of the 12,000 soldiers North Korea initially sent to fight for Russia, approximately 4,000 are now considered casualties.
Despite the significant losses, North Korea has reportedly sent more soldiers, though the exact number remains unknown.
How have Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un responded?
North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un has never publicly acknowledged his troops are in Russia.
Vladimir Putin has also remained quiet on the issue.
What does it mean for the war in Ukraine?
Pyongyang is now Moscow’s largest arms dealer, providing Russian forces with rockets and artillery shells.
Ukrainian forces also stated that some ballistic missiles launched from North Korea are more accurate than earlier versions.
Some in Ukraine think it is possible North Korea’s KN-23 ballistic missiles became more accurate with the help of Russian specialists through “modernization work.”
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What’s the latest on the war?
The increasing reliance on Pyongyang for reinforcements and resupply comes as Moscow claimed it regained around 64% of the territory it lost to Ukraine during the surprise Kursk incursion last year.
Tags: Ammunition, Europe, Kim Jong Un, Kremlin, Military Aid, Military Defense, Moscow, North Korea, Pyongyang, Russia, Russia-Ukraine War, Ukraine, Ukraine aid, Ukraine Defense Ministry, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, War, Weapons
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
NORTH KOREAN TROOPS ARE BACK ON THE BATTLEFIELD ALONGSIDE RUSSIAN FORCES AFTER NOT BEING SEEN ON THE FRONTLINES FOR WEEKS–
NORTH KOREAN SOLDIERS SUFFERED HEAVY CASUALTIES ON THE BATTLEFIELD–A TOPIC WE COVERED HERE AT STRAIGHT ARROW.
NOW, A UKRAINIAN PLATOON COMMANDER IS TELLING LOCAL MEDIA WHILE PYONGYANG’S SOLDIERS ARE BACK, THEY’RE RETURNING IN SMALLER UNITS
THE COMMANDER SAYS NORTH KOREAN FIGHTERS NOW OPERATE IN UNITS OF 10 TO 15 SOLDIERS AS OPPOSED TO PREVIOUSLY WORKING IN GROUPS OF 50.
HE ALSO NOTED, WHILE THE NORTH KOREANS ARE STILL FIGHTING IN LARGER TEAMS THAN THE RUSSIANS THEY MOVE “MORE CAUTIOUSLY NOW.”
THAT’S LIKELY BECAUSE THEY LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF THE FIRST WAVE OF NORTH KOREANS ON THE FRONTLINES…WHO WERE USED IN MOSTLY MEAT-WAVE STYLE ATTACKS AND EASILY TARGETED BY UKRAINIAN DRONES
UKRAINE SAYS OF THE 12 THOUSAND SOLDIERS NORTH KOREA ORIGINALLY SENT TO FIGHT FOR RUSSIA–ABOUT 4 THOUSAND ARE NOW COUNTED AS CASUALTIES.
DESPITE THE IMMENSE LOSSES, HOWEVER, NORTH KOREA HAS REPORTEDLY SENT ADDITIONAL SOLDIERS, ALTHOUGH WE DON’T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER
NORTH KOREA’S DICTATOR KIM JONG UN NEVER PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED HIS TROOPS ARE IN RUSSIA AND VLADIMIR PUTIN IS STAYING TIGHT-LIPPED AS WELL.
PYONGYANG IS NOW ALSO MOSCOW’S BIGGEST ARMS DEALER.
SUPPLYING RUSSIAN FORCES WITH ROCKETS AND ARTILLERY AMMUNITION.
UKRAINIAN FORCES ALSO SAY SOME BALLISTIC MISSILES SENT FROM NORTH KOREA ARE MUCH MORE ACCURATE THAN PREVIOUS VERSIONS.
SOME IN UKRAINE THINK IT’S POSSIBLE NORTH KOREA’S K-N-23 BALLISTIC MISSILES BECAME MORE ACCURATE WITH THE HELP OF RUSSIAN SPECIALISTS THROUGH “MODERNIZATATION WORK’.”
THE INCREASING RELIANCE ON PYONGYANG FOR REINFORCEMENTS AND RESUPPLY COMES AS MOSCOW CLAIMS IT REGAINED AROUND 64 PERCENT OF THE TERRITORY IT LOST TO UKRAINE DURING THE SURPRISE KURSK INCURSION LAST YEAR.
FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M RYAN ROBERTSON.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 25%
Center 38%
Right 38%
Bias Summary
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
emphasize the uncertainty surrounding North Korea’s troop deployment, utilizing the phrase “appears to have sent more troops,” which implies a potential military escalation.
Media outlets on the right
offer a more assertive perspective on North Korea’s military support, explicitly confirming troop involvement without any qualifiers.
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Bias Distribution
45 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
45
Leaning Left
6
Center
9
Leaning Right
9
Last Updated
2 weeks ago
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