Priyanka Tiwari
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A fresh report from the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies which was quoted by CNN states that Ukraine had probably sea transported North Korean soldiers to aid Russia with their military engagements against Ukraine.
Proof of secretive movement of soldiers
In addition, the US based think tank analysis of satellite images show at least 2 Russian ships transporting North Korean soldiers to the Russian army port in Dunai during October and November. The movements, which were first noted by the NIS of South Korea, were conducted in a manner where they would not be caught, hence using a lot of secrecy.
As per Sam lair, a researcher at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, stated, "Both Russia and North Korea seem to have taken important steps to make sure they do not appear to the cameras. They have hidden the movements of the troops.” Lair told CNN,” I find the character of secrecy to be quite astonishing”
Russian presence captured through satellite
On South Korean intelligence, researchers confirmed that the Russian Navy landing ships of report sailed to nurse a remote eastern military base of Russia. North Korean soldiers are thought to have boarded the vessels while it was undocked from the military facility so direct visual evidence can be obstructed as noted previously. But the satellite imagery activities at Dunai indicate the movement of north korean troops.
For example, a photograph taken on the 17th of October depicts a crane swinging towards a Russian landing craft thought to be the Nikolay Vilkov, which has a cargo truck close by. On the 20th of October, the crane had already been retracted, which would suggest that the transfer had already been completed. Some researchers claimed that the vessels Ropucha-class and Alligator-class ships were captured in earlier photographs taken by Japan’s Defence Ministry in March 2022.
A safe and calculative area
Dunai is an operational area of restricted militarily, making it perfect for covert movement of forces. Instead of a more easily visible port like Vladivostok, Russia is able to conceal its operations to more sensitive areas like Dunai. Lair said that this area is perfect because it allows Russia to conceal its movements from the poorest avenues of intelligence.
"This is an isolated place where they can do these exchanges, where it’s clear they will be unnoticed… (where) conceivably their own citizen and a portion of the intelligence community will not pick up," said Lair.
Since the last quarter of 2023, people in the West have estimated that roughly 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been moved into Russia and so far approximately 4,000 of them have been killed or wounded during battle. Ukrainian officials are claiming that at least two North Korean soldiers have been captured, but there has been no confirmation from Moscow or Pyongyang.
Russian and North Korean Military Cooperation
Dunai became an important intermediary in the Russian-North Korean relations trade when North Korea actively collaborated by providing support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2023. Satellite images from October show what appear to be a cargo ship being loaded at Rajin port in North Korea, which then flew to Dunai. This suggests that there is a constant inflow of goods into the area.
A report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), which is based in the UK, claimed that Russia has started to scale their operations to shipping North Korean munitions on a wider scale. Whether those claims are true, is another question. Regardless, the secretive location of Dunai makes it primest for such operations. Further imagery established that the Angara cargo ship was onloaded in North Korea on October 27 and reached Dunai on October 29.
What North Korea Gets Militarily From The Conflict
CNN reports as North Korea does supply arms, they get to garner some good combat experience. According to Alyona Getmanchuk of Kyiev's New Europe Center, North Korea is upgrading its missile systems and modifying its battle tactics, and weapons deployment because of an active participation in the Ukraine war.
“It’s not only about supplies of missiles, it’s about testing their missiles in real battlefield conditions,” Getmanchuk said while addressing a forum in Seoul. She continued by observing that the initially inexperienced North Korean ground forces quickly learning modern warfare.
Deepening relationships formed between Moscow and Pyongyang
Lair pointed out that North Korea and Russia's ties have become close ever since the Ukrainian war was initiated. “Sending your troops to fight to a foreign war is indicative of the level of connection,” he noted.
Despite the fact that Russia and North Korea seem to have stopped oceanic transfer of troops, South Korean intelligence services have reported the Russian Military flights from Vladivostok to Pyongyang, which is still evidencing the synergy between the countries.
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