The story of the North Korean regime's possibility to send its troops to the war against Ukraine has taken a new turn. South Korean TV Chosun channel reported that North Korea is allegedly planning to send units of its engineering troops to restore the territory of the temporarily occupied Donetsk. This may happen in July this year.
This message from the South Korean media does not coincides with the statement by Pentagon spokesman General Patrick Ryder that North Korean troops would to "be cannon fodder in an illegal war against Ukraine." But the question remains in what format North Korea can provide its people to the Kremlin for the war against Ukraine.
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According to the Military Balance 2023, the DPRK army has from 5 to 8 engineer regiments and one pontoon bridge regiment. It means that North Korea does not have a very large engineering force. So it does not look like an interesting offer for russian invaders.
It should be noted that within the framework of so-called partial mobilization in fall of 2022, russia has created at least five new engineering regiments. In this way, russians have created a sufficiently large set of forces and means that allows them to build powerful fortifications in a short time.
According to DeepState analysts, russian invaders have already built fortifications with a total length of 6,000 kilometers by fall of 2023.
Now, the story of possible involvement North Korean engineer troops to act on russian side looks a bit strange.
At the same time, we cannot rule out the possibility that the North Korean regime will provide the Kremlin with manpower to fight against Ukraine. In summer of 2022, there were talks of the possible involvement of Expeditionary Force from North Korea on russia's side, which include 100,000 soldiers. Probably, this process is now getting a logical development.
It should be noted that the Kremlin may need North Korean "volunteers" for assault operations against the Defense Forces of Ukraine on the battlefield rather than for auxiliary tasks performed by the engineer troops.
Earlier Defense Express reported that Bolivia had turned back on russia and turned down a $100 million deal on Mi-17, weapons, and the surrent state of its military.
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