It is perverse in the extreme that, just as there are clear indications Russia is suffering severe manpower shortages in its Ukraine offensive, Western leaders should choose this moment to scale down their support for the Ukrainian cause.
The most damning indication that all is not well with Russia’s war effort has surfaced with reports that Moscow is having to rely on North Korean forces to bolster its front-line operations.
With the latest intelligence assessments suggesting Russia has already suffered an astonishing 450,000 battlefield casualties – more than half the total number of British casualties during the entire Second World War – it is hardly surprising that Russian president Vladimir Putin should be scouring the world for reinforcements.
The Kremlin’s own efforts to conscript young Russians to sacrifice their lives in Putin’s so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine have failed to make up the shortfall to the extent that many of those dying in the Russian military’s unrelenting “meat grinder” tactics are ex-convicts.
This week’s reports that North Korea may send up to 10,000 soldiers to Russia to boost its war efforts in Ukraine is, therefore, hardly surprising given Moscow’s dire need to bolster its ground forces. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky believes the arrival of the North Korean forces are part of Putin’s plans to launch a massive offensive against Ukraine this autumn.
Defence ties between Pyongyang and Moscow have been deepening since the summer when Putin signed a mutual defence pact with the North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. This has led to a marked increase in North Korea’s supply of missiles and ammunition to Russia in recent months, with Ukrainian intelligence officials saying the arrival of large numbers of North Korean troops has led to the formation of their own dedicated battalion.
While the arrival of North Korean forces to fight in Ukraine highlights just how desperate Russia’s recruitment drive has become, the development also presents serious challenges for Europe’s future security.
Russia has already received vital support from Iran, with Tehran shipping regular supplies of drones and missiles, even if the ayatollahs have stopped short of providing ground forces.
It is perverse in the extreme that, just as there are clear indications Russia is suffering severe manpower shortages in its Ukraine offensive, Western leaders should choose this moment to scale down their support for the Ukrainian cause.
The most damning indication that all is not well with Russia’s war effort has surfaced with reports that Moscow is having to rely on North Korean forces to bolster its front-line operations.
With the latest intelligence assessments suggesting Russia has already suffered an astonishing 450,000 battlefield casualties – more than half the total number of British casualties during the entire Second World War – it is hardly surprising that Russian president Vladimir Putin should be scouring the world for reinforcements.
The Kremlin’s own efforts to conscript young Russians to sacrifice their lives in Putin’s so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine have failed to make up the shortfall to the extent that many of those dying in the Russian military’s unrelenting “meat grinder” tactics are ex-convicts.
This week’s reports that North Korea may send up to 10,000 soldiers to Russia to boost its war efforts in Ukraine is, therefore, hardly surprising given Moscow’s dire need to bolster its ground forces. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky believes the arrival of the North Korean forces are part of Putin’s plans to launch a massive offensive against Ukraine this autumn.
Defence ties between Pyongyang and Moscow have been deepening since the summer when Putin signed a mutual defence pact with the North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. This has led to a marked increase in North Korea’s supply of missiles and ammunition to Russia in recent months, with Ukrainian intelligence officials saying the arrival of large numbers of North Korean troops has led to the formation of their own dedicated battalion.
While the arrival of North Korean forces to fight in Ukraine highlights just how desperate Russia’s recruitment drive has become, the development also presents serious challenges for Europe’s future security.
Russia has already received vital support from Iran, with Tehran shipping regular supplies of drones and missiles, even if the ayatollahs have stopped short of providing ground forces.