Cannon Fodder: North Korean Soldiers are Dying in Ukraine

North Koreans Are Reportedly Dying in Ukraine: The news from the war in Ukraine is a steady drumbeat of violence, death, and destruction. It seems there is rarely news that would signify a movement toward a ceasefire and peace talks. Now, this latest development is likely to shock you. North Korean soldiers may be fighting for Russia and dying in Ukraine.

Missile Strike Catches North Korean Troops Off-guard

Six North Korean military personnel, believed to be army officers from the DPRK, were killed in a missile strike. Three other North Korean soldiers were wounded. It happened on October 3 near the frontline close to the Donetsk region border in Ukraine. The reports came from media organs Kyiv Post and Interfax-Ukraine who received the information from Ukrainian intelligence sources.

What Were These People Doing?

It is not clear if the North Korean officers were fighting in a battle or just there to observe and advise. A pro-Kremlin military blog said the Russian military was, “showing the North Korean officers how Moscow was ‘preparing for assault operations, for defense, how we counter American weapons’ when they were attacked on training grounds.”

North Korea – Russia Partnership

Over the last 12 months, North Korea has sent howitzer ammunition and missiles to Russia. Over three million shells have been exported from North Korea to Russia. This is the first time that reports of actual troops from the DPRK are dying in Ukraine. The North admitted that an engineering unit of its soldiers would be deployed to Russia in July.

Kim Jong Un signed a mutual defense agreement with Vladimir Putin in June. So, it was only a matter of time before DPRK soldiers would appear in Ukraine.

North Koreans Will Be ‘Cannon Fodder’

Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said this summer that the deployment of North Korean forces to Ukraine is “certainly something to keep an eye on” but predicted Kim Jong Un’s forces would become “cannon fodder in an illegal war against Ukraine.”

It seems that Ryder’s prediction is coming true. It would be interesting to see how Kim and Putin are reacting to these reports. North Korea and Russia will likely deny the incident and classify it as “fake news.”

Ukraine Is Saying ‘I Told You So’

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky is probably talking to the United States and pointing out how dangerous the war has become with risks of it opening up to other state actors. Zelensky is likely asking America for more military aid as a result.

It’s the Axis of Evil All Over Again

North Korea is already aiding Iran with its ballistic missile program. All three countries are part of a new “Axis of Evil” who wish to undermine the primacy of the United States and NATO. Russia is probably sending advisers and observers to North Korea as well. Moscow and Pyongyang has perhaps sent military personnel to Tehran.

What Is Next?

While the North Koreans who reportedly died in Ukraine are “cannon fodder,” it raises important questions about the state of world affairs in 2024. The partnership among Iran, North Korea, and Russia is growing stronger (not to mention China’s influence on the three). What other ways will they work together? Will Russia share missile technology and nuclear weapons know-how with Iran? Will Iran continue to send its drones to Russia?

The war in Ukraine is becoming a proxy fight between these authoritarian countries and the West. The new Axis of Evil must be satisfied that they are enlarging the war despite the loss of the North Korean officers. These deaths send a message to the United States and NATO that the war has no signs of abating and that Russia will bring North Korea and Iran closer together.

This is a development that should make Western allies pause before it continues to prosecute the war. How far will the United States and its allies go to support Ukraine in what is shaping up to be a global fight? The next American president will have to deal with this new partnership with the rogue terrorist-enabling states.

There are no ready solutions other than to seek peace in Ukraine and look for ways diplomatically to drive a wedge to separate Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. It may be too late to make a difference.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.