
After Russia and North Korea signed an agreement pledging military assistance to each other, the North Korean troops hit the ground against the Ukrainian troops, bolstering Moscow's position. Their arrival marked an alarming phase in the war as they adapted quickly, gaining battlefield experience.
The Ukrainian troops, which have been battling the Russian Army for almost 3 years, were unaware of how the North Korean soldiers would fare in the war. However, the recent account of some of the Ukrainian soldiers shed light on their battling prowess and capabilities.
One Ukrainian soldier who has witnessed North Koreans in battle described the North Korean soldiers as highly methodical and disciplined, adding, "They were more professional than their Russian counterparts," The Associated Press reports.
According to a report by a Ukrainian military unit, the North Korean soldiers wear Russian military uniforms with fake military IDs in their pockets and they could easily be mistaken for Russian soldiers.
They operate alongside Russian units, with the latter providing reconnaissance and electronic warfare support, according to Ukraine's intelligence agency.
However, other soldiers, including Ukrainian special forces, have shared battlefield drone footage on the Telegram messaging app mocking their tactics as outdated.
Notably, the Ukrainian forces agree on one thing, and that is the North Korean forces' adaptability, as when they arrived, they lacked battlefield experience.
North Korea, which has an army of 1.2 million troops, ranks among the largest standing armies globally. But its post-Korean War foreign engagements have been limited, leaving them inexperienced with modern warfare technologies like drones.
Despite Ukrainian, US, and South Korean assertions that Pyongyang has sent 10,000-12,000 troops to fight alongside Russia in the Kursk border region, Moscow has never publicly acknowledged the North Korean forces.
While reports of their presence first emerged in October, Ukrainian troops only confirmed engagement on the ground in December.
(With inputs from AP)