Something totally unexpected is happening in Ukraine. Suddenly, North Korea soldiers have disappeared

Since November 2023, Ukrainian forces and intelligence in the United States have calculated that up to 12,000 North Korean soldiers have moved In Kursk’s Russian region to stop the Ukrainian offensive. In recent months we have known The strategy that pyongyang troops followedlarticles that lead to the battlefieldand even Ukraine captured soldiers who betrayed the misinformation with which they seemed to have arrived in Europe. However, something has happened in the last two weeks.

North Korean paper. CNN had through interviews with Ukrainian troops that many of the northorean soldiers deployed were using extreme combat methods that remember tactics of the cold war. With a formation focused on sacrifice and unwavering loyalty to Kim Jong Un, these soldiers had demonstrated fierce resistance, although they were suffering from mass losses, With about 4,000 dead or injured.

His behavior on the battlefield, in fact, had baffled the Ukrainian forces, since instead of surrendering, Many prefer to immolate themselves with grenades or use desperate strategies How to shed your protective team to move faster. In fact, several teams captured to the fallen soldiers revealed that They carry only the minimum to survive: Limited water rations, without shelter clothes and with backpacks full of ammunition. Although they carry modernized versions of the AK-47 rifle and other more or less recent Russian teams, their lack of armor and preparation for current war technology was accelerating its wear on the battlefield.

And suddenly, they are no longer.

One withdrawal? According to the New York TimesNorth Korean troops sent to Russia to strengthen their offensive against Ukraine They have disappeared from the battlefield for two weeks. It is possible, as analysts explain, who have been removed from the front after suffering those devastating losses we were talking about. Its deployment in November 2023 generated alarm when the measure was interpreted as a significant climb of the conflict. However, in just three months, The number of troops was drastically reduced Due to the lack of coordination.

According to Ukrainian sources, the Russian strategy consisted of Send them in waves through mined fields and under intense firewhich resulted in a high number of casualties. Now, the withdrawal is not necessarily definitive, since it is evaluated the possibility that these soldiers return after receiving a resentment or if the Russian controls find more effective ways to use them in combat.

Impact of the Ukrainian offensive on Kurk. The Ukrainian incursion in the Russian region of Kursk in August 2024 surprised the Kremlin and altered the dynamics of the conflict. For the first time in more than a decade of confrontations, including the Russian in large scale in 2022, Ukraine seemed to take and maintain territory within Russia.

This movement, although criticized by some as an unnecessary wear of resources, is seen by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a key tool to press in future peace negotiations and a strategic barrier against new Russian offensives in the northeast of Ukraine. Although Russian forces have managed to recover about half of the lost territory, the Ukrainian presence in Kursk It is still a challenge for Moscowforcing Putin to balance their military resources without weakening their main operations in eastern Ukraine.

The North Korean alliance. It We have counted in the past. The sending of North Korean troops seems to be part of A broader cooperation strategy between Moscow and Pyongyang. Kim Jong Un, by supporting Putin, Search in return assistance in military technology and diplomatic support.

In addition to troops, North Korea has supplied Russia millions of artillery and missile projectiles, covering approximately half of the armament that Russia uses daily at the moment. In return, Moscow provides oil, food and improvements in North Korean weapons. In fact, the recent restoration of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the two countries reinforces this relationship, which reminds of the era of the cold war.

The North Korean future. Although the withdrawal of North Korean soldiers suggests that their initial deployment did not have the expected impact, Your possible return is not discarded. Russia could reconsider its integration strategy with these troops, perhaps avoiding their use as a simple shock infantry and improving its coordination with local units. Besides, The situation in Kursk continues to evolve, with new Ukrainian offensives facing a growing Russian resistance.

Meanwhile and as we said, the alliance between Russia and North Korea continues to consolidate, and along the way increasing tensions with the West. As the war continues, the participation of external actors such as North Korea could become an even more relevant factor in the development of the conflict and in the global geopolitical balance.

And Trump is still missing, although it is about to see how he will.

Image | Ukraine forces

In Xataka | North Korea has officially entered the Ukraine War, although a barrier is being lethal: the language

In Xataka | The Ukrainian invention that has allowed to repel the waves of Russian attacks: a 41 km fiber optic cable