North Korean soldiers practice with contemporary firearms and grenade launchers in preparation for potential crises, as shown in a Russian video.
In a move that raises eyebrows, Russia recently shared a video of North Korean soldiers undergoing intense training with modern Russian small arms. The footage shows these troops sharpening their skills with weapons like the AK-12, Vepr-12 shotguns, PK machine guns, SVD sniper rifles, and RPG-7 grenade launchers. This comprehensive drill aims to equip the North Korean forces with the know-how to handle modern weaponry, potentially aiding their own military modernization and enhancing Russia's manpower in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
The training sessions took place in realistic battle scenarios, including trench warfare and controlled grenade and fire movements. Yet, the question remains whether the North Korean soldiers are only training or are participating in Ukraine's conflict itself, a matter still being debated. Reports of North Korean troops conducting frontal "human wave" attacks and exhibiting remarkable resilience have been circulating.
The West, especially South Korea and the US, fear that North Korean soldiers could learn valuable combat skills, including handling and countering drones, electronic countermeasures, and combined-arms tactics, which could later be applied to their own military capabilities. This alliance could potentially speed up North Korea's military modernization, particularly in drone and artillery systems.
As reported, Russia has been supplying advanced weaponry to North Korea, and North Korean forces have been deployed to support Russia, with estimates putting their numbers at around 11,000–12,000 soldiers. However, the authenticity of the claim that North Korean forces are stationed near Kursk remains unverified.
Officials from the US Department of State have expressed concern about North Korea's troop deployment, viewing third countries like North Korea as sustaining the Russia-Ukraine conflict and bearing responsibility for it. This recently revealed alliance between Russia and North Korea has undoubtedly sparked concerns in the global community.
[1] Economist, "North Korean troops spotted firing Russian weapons on Ukrainian frontline," Feb 15, 2025
[2] Reuters, "Ukraine reports spotting North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region," March 10, 2025
[3] AP News, "Russian video shows North Korean soldiers training with weapons seen in Ukraine," May 2, 2025
[4] CNN, "What's behind Russia's apparent alliance with North Korea?" May 3, 2025
[5] Associated Press, "Analysis: What Russia-North Korea alliance means for regional security," May 4, 2025
- What is the consensus regarding the presence of North Korean soldiers in the ongoing Ukraine conflict, as shown in the video shared by Russia in 2025, where they are observed training with modern Russian rifles like the AK-12 and SVD sniper rifles?
- While the training sessions between Russian troops and North Korean soldiers in Seoul in 2025 focused on battle scenarios, there are still debates about whether these troops participated directly in the Ukraine conflict or were merely preparing for potential future engagements.
- As reported by economist, CNN, AP News, and Reuters in 2025, concerns have risen globally as North Korea's military modernization seems to be accelerated through their training with advanced Russian weaponry, including rifles, machine guns, and grenade launchers.
- The alliance between Russia and North Korea, as the apparent agreement in 2025 suggests, poses significant challenges for regional security, leading officials from the US Department of State to voice their concerns about North Korea's troop deployment in Ukraine's conflict.
