What 10,000 North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russia could mean for the front lines of the Ukraine war.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, attend a state reception in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024 [File: Vladimir Smirnov/Sputnik/Pool via Reuters]

With 10,000 North Korean troops reportedly training in Russia, the stakes of the Ukraine war have reached new heights. As the war grinds on, what could this influx of reinforcements for Russia mean, not only for the battlefield but also for the delicate balance of power in the Indo-Pacific? And what does North Korea stand to gain from a strengthening alliance with Moscow?

In this episode:

  • Zoran Kusovac (@zkusovac), Security Analyst

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, Sarí el-Khalili, Khaled Soltan and Tamara Khandaker, with Duha Mosaad, Hagir Saleh, Cole van Miltenburg, and our host, Natasha Del Toro in for Malika Bilal. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

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