North Korea’s presence in Ukraine exposes vulnerabilities in Putin’s leadership

The conflict in Ukraine is expanding. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed Wednesday that North Korea is sending thousands of troops to Russia, marking a significant escalation in the conflict with Kyiv.

Vladimir Putin is involving Kim Jong Un further in the conflict — revealing a weakness: The Kremlin is facing a shortage of recruitable troops domestically.

The influx of North Korean soldiers poses minimal risk for Pyongyang, unless the United States ramps up sanctions against the Kim regime.

Russia has a history of using foreign armies.

Cossack fighters historically served the tsars.

After World War II, the Red Army enlisted Mongolian troops for the invasion of China.

Currently, the “TikTok soldiers” of Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov are present on Ukraine’s front lines.

After nearly three years of conflict, Putin is facing a shortage of available troops.

The Kremlin is struggling to attract more of Russia’s impoverished and desperate population to join the war, even with promises of bonuses and good pay.

In theory, Moscow could conscript millions of fighting-age men to send to Ukraine.

However, this option is politically risky.

The Putin regime encountered the challenges of conscription when it attempted a “partial mobilization” in September 2022.

Russians strongly opposed this, leading the government to retract the effort, claiming many call-up orders were issued “by mistake.”

Since then, Russia has relied on mercenary groups and lucrative payouts to recruit individuals for military service in Ukraine.

However, even these incentives are proving to be insufficient for the Kremlin’s needs.

By sending additional troops to Russia, North Korea may help fill some gaps, but not all of Moscow’s requirements. 

Austin described this development as a “very, very serious issue,” although the exact contribution of Pyongyang’s troops is unclear.

Supporting Russia has strategic benefits and minimal risks for the Kim regime.

Firstly, it shields North Korea from United Nations sanctions, as Russia has vetoed measures against Pyongyang in the Security Council.

The mutual defense agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang provides North Korea with security and combat experience for its troops, potentially enhancing its military capabilities.

In exchange for minimal costs, North Korea stands to benefit from technology transfers from Russia that could accelerate its missile and nuclear programs.

Peter Doran is adjunct senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.