NextFin news, On Thursday, September 18, 2025, a German research study disclosed that the ongoing military cooperation deal between Russia and North Korea heavily favors Russia. The study highlights that Russia has secured up to $9.8 billion worth of arms and the deployment of approximately 11,000 North Korean troops to Russian training grounds, primarily in western Russia, including Kursk Oblast.
The study, reported by Al Jazeera and based on intelligence assessments, indicates that North Korea's contribution mainly involves sending troops to support Russia's war effort in Ukraine, with the Russian military command assigning North Korean forces to areas such as Kursk and Belgorod oblasts. This deployment aims to create buffer zones along the Russian-Ukrainian border and to free Russian forces for frontline combat.
Despite North Korea's military support, the study finds that the deal is largely a strategic gain for Russia. Moscow benefits from additional manpower and arms supplies, while North Korea's returns appear limited, lacking significant economic or military aid in exchange. The imbalance suggests Russia leverages its anti-Western partnerships to prolong its military campaign in Ukraine.
Ukrainian intelligence sources, including the Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR), confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Russia and noted plans for further deployments to assist reconstruction efforts in Kursk Oblast. South Korean intelligence had earlier assessed that North Korean troop deployments to Russia would occur in mid-2025, a timeline consistent with current reports.
The study also contextualizes the deal within Russia's broader military strategy, which includes extensive use of drone innovations and small infantry groups in Ukraine, as well as efforts to influence international negotiations, such as the upcoming US-Russia summit in Alaska. Russian officials continue to emphasize their strategic objectives in Ukraine, seeking full Ukrainian capitulation.
Sources for the study include German research institutions and intelligence reports cited by Al Jazeera on September 18, 2025. The findings underscore the asymmetrical nature of the Russia-North Korea military cooperation amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and conflict in Eastern Europe.
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