The British newspaper “Daily Mail” revealed a deal in the making between Russia and North Korea, in which Pyongyang supports Moscow in Ukraine in exchange for energy and grain to ease the economic crisis in the country.
According to this newspaper, Russian President Vladimir Putin is appealing to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to help him in the Ukraine war through an agreement that includes “supplying energy and grain in exchange for 100,000 soldiers.”
This newspaper quoted Regnom news agency as saying that North Korea has clearly stated through diplomatic channels that in addition to providing builders to repair war damage, it is ready to provide a large combat force that will be stationed in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
In the same context, Colonel Igor Kurotchenko, a defense expert in Moscow, confirmed to Russian state TV: We should not be ashamed to accept the hand extended to us by Kim Jong-un.
“If the North Korean volunteers with their artillery systems, their great experience in anti-batteries and North Korean-made multiple launch missile systems, want to participate in the conflict, well, let’s give these volunteers the green light,” Kurotchenko said. ” addition
Irina Zuckerman, an American expert in international and strategic affairs, said about the possibility of this agreement: I doubt the possibility of implementing this agreement, there are problems in transferring tens of thousands of foreign soldiers in addition to the problem. Language and lack of experience in tactical coordination with Russian forces.”
He pointed out: North Korea’s support for Russia also means participating in the war action of an independent country, and this isolated country will face more international humiliation.
Zuckerman told Sky News Arabic: “We’ve already seen Russia try to recruit militias from different countries and it’s completely failed due to lack of familiarity with the terrain, the climate, the language and the lack of traditional combat experience.
“I doubt that North Korea is ready for such a threat right now, but it may offer Russia limited support in terms of weapons, cyber security attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, intelligence and logistical support,” he said.
He added: “But such statements confirm that Russia has suffered a lot of losses despite the limited and non-implementation of the sanctions imposed on it.”
And he considered that “North Korea’s intervention may provoke its neighbors to counter-intervention as well as more support from European countries,” noting that “comments in Russian state media do not point to an actual agreement, but more to wishful thinking.” North Korea seems to have made some suggestions. Russia’s ambiguity and not the other way around, because this country is currently in dire need of economic support.
Relations between Pyongyang and Moscow date back to the Soviet era, and Putin sought to normalize relations with North Korea after his first election as president, meeting with Kim Jong Il three times.
Putin was the first Russian president to visit North Korea, and in 2019, Kim Jong Un met with Putin in Vladivostok.
When Putin launched military operations against Ukraine on February 24, North Korea was one of five countries to vote against a UN resolution condemning the invasion, and Pyongyang became the third country to recognize the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east. Ukraine.
Source: Lebanon Debate
