The publication notes that when North Korean troops began arriving in Russia last fall, some Western officials saw it as a sign that the Kremlin was desperate for more troops.
However, US intelligence agencies concluded that the troop deployment was North Korea’s idea, not Russia’s, although Putin quickly backed it down.
According to Ukrainian and Western estimates, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent at least 10,000 troops to Russia. The North Koreans are largely part of the Russian units conducting a counteroffensive against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region.
US officials suggest that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not immediately receive anything in return from the Russian Federation for such a “favor”.
However, according to them, the North Korean leader seems to hope that Russia will thank him in the future, in particular, with support in the diplomatic struggle, assistance in the event of a crisis and the provision of technology.
US officials also said it was important for Russia to enlist the support of North Korea and Iran, which provided the country with military aid during the war.
This allowed Russia to maintain intense front-line artillery fire and put pressure on Ukrainian cities by attacking critical infrastructure with drones.
