As the war between Russia and Ukraine intensifies, the attitudes of North Korea and the United States have attracted widespread attention. On November 1, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Sun Hui publicly pledged to support Russia's war efforts "until victory is achieved" during her visit to Moscow. At the same time, the United States announced that it would provide Ukraine with an additional $425 million in military aid, showing its firm support for Ukraine in resisting Russian aggression. This escalation of the international situation highlights the increasingly sharp opposition between the parties on the Ukrainian issue.

North Korea's strengthening of its support for Russia

After talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Choe Sun Hui said that North Korea will stand firmly on Russia's side until it defeats "the hegemonic actions of the United States and the West." North Korean officials accused the military alliance between the United States and South Korea of being a threat to peace and stressed that Russia is fighting to establish a new international order. After the talks, both sides said that the relationship between the two countries has reached an "unprecedented new height", showing the further consolidation of North Korea-Russia relations.

During this visit, there were reports that North Korea may provide military support to Russia, and about 8,000 North Korean soldiers are already in Kursk Oblast, Russia, ready to fight alongside the Russian army. Although Lavrov and Choi Sun-hee did not mention the specific deployment of the North Korean army in their public speeches, it is widely speculated that North Korean soldiers will directly participate in the Ukrainian battlefield.

The US aid plan to Ukraine has been increased

On the same day that the North Korean foreign minister met with Lavrov, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin revealed at a joint press conference with the South Korean Defense Minister that about 10,000 North Korean soldiers may be deployed to the Ukrainian front. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken further added that North Korean troops may soon be deployed to fight Ukraine. This potential reinforcement has led the United States to step up its support for Ukraine. On the same day, the United States announced the allocation of $425 million in military aid from the Department of Defense inventory, which is the 69th batch of military aid since August 2021.

The US Department of Defense pointed out in a statement that this batch of aid includes air defense interceptors, rocket systems, artillery ammunition, armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons to help Ukraine meet its most pressing security needs. The statement also mentioned that the United States will continue to work with nearly 50 allies and partners to ensure that the Ukrainian army has the defensive equipment it needs through the Ukrainian Defense Liaison Group.

The latest situation on the Ukrainian battlefield

Meanwhile, the situation in Ukraine is becoming increasingly tense. According to the Ukrainian military report, Russia launched as many as 2,023 drone attacks on Ukraine in October, setting a record since the outbreak of the conflict. Ukraine said that Russia has launched a total of 6,987 drone attacks this year, showing its increasing dependence on drone tactics. In October alone, the number of attacks increased by nearly 700 times compared with the previous month.

On the same day, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement saying that its air defense forces shot down 83 Ukrainian drones in Kursk, Bryansk, Crimea, Voronezh, Orel and Belgorod regions. Alexander Bogomaz, governor of Bryansk Oblast, also mentioned that a Ukrainian drone hit an apartment building in the city, injuring one person. In addition, an oil depot in the Stavropol region was attacked by a Ukrainian drone, causing a fire. The fire station in the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odessa was also attacked by Russian missiles, injuring two firefighters.

Strategic considerations and future prospects of both sides

This time, North Korea publicly expressed its firm support for Russia, which further complicated the situation. The military support provided by North Korea may provide important assistance to the Russian army's operations in Ukraine and alleviate the problem of insufficient manpower faced by Russia due to serious losses. U.S. officials said that since the full outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war in February 2022, more than 500,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured. Now, Russia is seeking support from internationally isolated countries such as North Korea to fill the gaps on the front line.

However, military experts are skeptical about the actual combat capabilities of the North Korean army. Antz Kiviselk, head of intelligence for the Estonian Defense Forces, pointed out that North Korean soldiers lack adaptability to the terrain and climate of Ukraine and may face heavy losses in actual combat. This analysis shows that North Korean soldiers may find it difficult to cope with complex environmental and tactical requirements on the front line, resulting in their battlefield performance may not be as expected.

Continued support from the United States and its allies: Ukraine's solid backing

The continued military assistance from the United States and its allies has undoubtedly provided strong support for Ukraine. In the face of increasing drone attacks, Ukraine's air defense system is also constantly upgrading and optimizing. The Ukrainian Air Force said that the air defense system shot down 31 Russian drones and a missile in several regions including Kiev, Vinnitsa, Khmelnitsky, Chernigov, etc., showing Ukraine's technological progress in the field of air defense. The US-led aid coalition ensures that Ukraine has the resources and capabilities to fight Russia in key battles, reflecting the unity of Western countries on the Ukrainian issue.

International order and future geopolitical conflicts

With North Korea's public commitment to support Russia and the United States continuing to increase its aid to Ukraine, the international influence of the Russian-Ukrainian war has further expanded. North Korea's military support may bring short-term troop replenishment to Russia, but the long-term effect remains to be seen. At the same time, while ensuring Ukraine's resistance, the US military aid plan is also sending a clear message to the world that Western countries will continue to fight challenges from Russia and its allies. The continuation of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is not only a war in Ukraine, but also a microcosm of the international order, geopolitical balance and the struggle between major forces.

In the coming months, with the possibility of North Korean soldiers participating in the war and the continued increase in US aid, the situation on the Ukrainian battlefield will continue to attract global attention.