North Korea's engineers to bolster Russia's efforts in Donetsk
Military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow is tightening. Unofficial media reports indicate that North Korea intends to send its engineering units to the Donetsk region, temporarily occupied by the Russians.
Kim Jong Un's soldiers are expected to help rebuild infrastructure in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, reports TV Chosun.
The South Korean television channel estimates that the North Korean army has 10 engineering brigades, and North Korea could receive up to £88 million annually from Russia if it sent three to four engineering brigades to the occupied regions of Ukraine.
Moscow and Pyongyang are tightening cooperation. Putin's visit to North Korea
In June, Vladimir Putin visited North Korea for the first time in 24 years. The Russian dictator met with Kim Jong Un, and the leaders signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership agreement" in Pyongyang.
The KCNA agency published the treaty's contents. The countries pledged to provide mutual support in the event of an attack by another state.
In 2022, after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang became closer, mainly due to Western sanctions imposed on Moscow and Russia's attempts to circumvent these restrictions.
The United States and South Korea accused Pyongyang authorities of supplying weapons to Russia for use during the war in Ukraine. Russia and North Korea denied these allegations. Last year, these countries announced deepening military cooperation during Kim's visit to Vladivostok, where he met with Putin in September.
The South Korean Defence Ministry estimated at the end of February this year that since that meeting, North Korea has sent about 6,700 containers with ammunition to Russia.
According to experts, in exchange for military support, North Korea receives Russian technologies necessary for the development of its missile and nuclear programmes, which constitutes a violation of UN sanctions imposed on Pyongyang.
