North Korean soldiers would rather blow themselves up with grenades than be captured. According to the publication, they temporarily withdrew from the front line after suffering significant losses.
Points of attention
- North Korean soldiers blow themselves up with grenades to avoid capture during the war in eastern Ukraine.
- The increased mobility, better equipment, and well-groomed appearance of the DPRK military make it difficult to determine their positions on the battlefield.
- North Korea has sent a significant number of troops to help Russia, but losses continue to mount, which could lead to further escalation of the war.
- Coordination problems with the Russian army lead to random attacks on military positions, threatening the security of both sides.
- According to a senior Pentagon official, reinforcements for the military in North Korea are expected within the next two months.
North Korean soldiers blow themselves up with grenades to avoid capture
As the publication notes, Ukrainian military personnel interviewed by journalists suggest that the North Koreans are currently analyzing their mistakes, providing assistance to the wounded, or waiting for reinforcements. According to the commander with the call sign "Pulse", they will probably return soon.
The publication notes that the North Korean military is ignoring the threat from the air, continuing to attack on foot in large groups of 20-60 people, which makes them an easy target. The North Koreans are also trying to hide their presence on the battlefield by evacuating the wounded and dead.
Problems arise due to poor coordination with the Russian army — according to radio interception data, cases of random attacks on Russian positions have been recorded.
Ukrainian military officials say North Korean soldiers are better equipped than many Russian soldiers, including modern uniforms and rifles, but their mobility is limited, moving mostly on foot or using golf buggies to transport ammunition.
According to Pulse, all North Korean military personnel look well-groomed and neat — without beards or unkempt hair, which makes it difficult to determine their age, which ranges from 25 to 40 years old.
North Korea is preparing new units for deployment to Kursk
North Korea has sent 11,000 soldiers to help Russia, many of whom have already been killed. The Pentagon expects a new batch to arrive at the front.
This was stated by a high-ranking representative of the US Department of Defense.
According to him, reinforcements are expected "within the next two months."
Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said this week that North Korean losses continue to mount, estimating that nearly half of the soldiers sent were either wounded or killed, but he warned that they were "highly motivated, well-trained" and "brave."
North Korea's 1.2 million-strong armed forces are among the world's largest standing armies, and its entry into the war is a major escalation in a war that has been going on for nearly three years.
In Russia, North Koreans were given what one Pentagon official called "pocket trash" — documents that registered them as residents of the Russian Far East.