North Korea using war in Ukraine as testing ground for its own military capabilities – ISW

This is said in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrinform reports.

Russia may be providing drone and missile technology to North Korea in exchange for North Korean troops fighting in Kursk region. Japanese outlet NHK, citing multiple sources familiar with Russia–North Korea relations, reported on February 8 that Russia has agreed to assist North Korea in developing and mass-producing various types of drones in exchange for North Korean forces supporting Russia’s war effort against Ukraine.

NHK noted that Russia remains reluctant to help North Korea develop nuclear weapons, fearing that North Korean nuclear tests could further strain relations with the United States and complicate relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted on February 8 that Russia is specifically spreading modern technology to North Korea, including drone technology, and told Reuters on February 7 that thousands of North Korean troops have returned to active combat in Kursk region after a brief pause.

A Ukrainian brigade operating in Kursk region published a video on February 8 reportedly showing North Korean forces conducting assaults alongside Russian forces in Kursk region.

South Korean sources recently reported that Russia withdrew North Korean troops from the battlefield in Kursk region in mid-January 2025, possibly for rest and reconstitution or to rethink how Russia is using these troops.

“ISW assesses that North Korea is using the war in Ukraine as a testing ground for its own military capabilities,” the report says.

It is noted that Reuters reported on February 6 that North Korean ballistic missiles fired by Russian forces since December 2024 have demonstrated significantly improved accuracy, likely “an example of North Korean capability enhancement gained through the North Korea-Russia alliance”.

Analysts note that Russia continues to expand its military capabilities, indicating that the Kremlin has no immediate interest in negotiations or a lasting peace with Ukraine.

ISW stressed that such Russian plans suggest that Russia, not Ukraine, is “the party refusing good-faith negotiations and actively pushing for protracted war rather than peace, while also setting conditions to prepare for a potential broader conflict with NATO”.

As reported, South Korean intelligence said that North Korea had sent about 11,000 troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. Of these, 300 have already been killed and about 2,700 others wounded.