Why did Russia officially recognise the participation of North Korean troops in the war
russia has officially admitted for the first time the participation of North Korean military personnel in combat operations in the Kursk region. This was stated by the chief of the general staff of the russian army, valery gerasimov.
▫️ In particular, gerasimov said that North Korean soldiers, “acting side by side with russian troops in the Kursk region, demonstrated resilience and heroism.” Propaganda quickly amplified this statement, emphasizing the “legitimacy” of such cooperation by referring to the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed last year between russia and North Korea. In doing so, russia is effectively legitimizing the presence of foreign troops on its territory.
It is worth recalling that russia initially denied the involvement of North Korean military personnel in combat operations and forged documents to present them as “buryats” or other representatives of russia’s national minorities.
Through such statements, moscow is attempting to strengthen its negotiating position — sending a signal to the international community that russia allegedly has reliable allies ready to engage in real combat. Additionally, this rhetoric seeks to reinforce the internal narrative of having allies and “international support” for its armed aggression against Ukraine, especially amid heavy losses and intensified mobilization.
Moreover, it cannot be ruled out that russia is signaling its potential readiness to further deploy North Korean forces on Ukrainian territory.
