North Korea uses war in Ukraine to test its military potential — ISW

North Korea is leveraging the war in Ukraine to test its military capabilities, while Russia may provide the DPRK with unmanned aerial vehicles and missile technology.

According to Rubryka, citing the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), military experts reference Japan's NHK TV channel, which, based on multiple sources familiar with Russian-North Korean relations, reported that Russia has agreed to assist North Korea in developing and mass-producing drones in exchange for military support.

"Russia may be providing drone and missile technology to North Korea in exchange for North Korean troops fighting in Kursk region," analysts stated.

However, NHK notes that Russia remains reluctant to assist North Korea in developing nuclear weapons, fearing that North Korean nuclear tests could further strain relations with the United States and complicate ties with China.

Meanwhile, on February 8, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia is transferring advanced technologies to North Korea, including UAVs. The day before, he told Reuters that thousands of North Korean troops had resumed combat operations in the Kursk region after a short break.

South Korean sources also report that Russia withdrew DPRK troops from the battlefield in January, possibly for rest, recuperation, or a reassessment of their deployment strategy.

According to ISW, North Korea is using the war in Ukraine as a testing ground for its military advancements.

"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 emphasized.

Key ISW takeaways as of February 8:

• Russia continues to expand its military capabilities, indicating that the Kremlin has no immediate interest in negotiations or a lasting peace with Ukraine.
• The Russian command may be redeploying forces from the Kurakhove direction towards Toretsk in order to facilitate Russian offensive operations against Kostyantynivka in Spring or Summer 2025.
• The Baltic States cut ties with the Soviet-era power grid that connected them to Belarus and Russia on February 8 as part of efforts to achieve full energy independence from Russia and further integrate their energy infrastructure with the European Union (EU).
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Chasiv Yar, and Russian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk, Lyman, and Toretsk.
• The Kremlin continues efforts to incentivize Russian citizens to serve in the military.

What is known about the operation in the Kursk region

As of February 6, Ukrainian forces control hundreds of square kilometers within Russia's so-called "buffer zone." Leveraging the element of surprise, they successfully seized numerous settlements, including the town of Sudzha.

Notably, in Russia's Kursk region, operators of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces recently eliminated 21 and wounded 40 North Korean soldiers advancing toward Ukrainian positions.

Additionally, on February 3, Ukrainian troops targeted a command center in the Kursk region, inflicting heavy losses among Russian officers.

Overall, during the six months of the Kursk operation, Ukraine's Defense Forces have neutralized nearly 40,000 enemy troops, killing over 16,000 and capturing 909 soldiers.