Kremlin's Strategic Alliance with North Korea Aims to Mitigate Mobilization Challenges

The Kremlin is expected to leverage its strategic partnership with North Korea, established in June 2024, to deploy troops along its borders, signaling Russian President Vladimir Putin's intent to postpone mobilization for as long as possible. According to Ukrainian outlets Suspilne and Liga, which cited anonymous military intelligence sources on October 15, the Russian 11th Airborne Brigade has formed a "battalion" of North Korean nationals consisting of approximately 3,000 troops—far exceeding the typical size of a battalion.

This North Korean battalion is anticipated to participate in ongoing Russian defense operations in the Kursk region. Reports indicate that up to 18 North Korean soldiers have already withdrawn from their positions in the Bryansk and Kursk regions before being deployed for combat operations. Although the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has not independently verified this information, Russian officials have not denied it as of October 15.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed to TASS that the agreement with North Korea is "unequivocal" and focused on "mutual cooperation in defense and security." Recent observations by ISW also suggest that a small contingent of North Korean personnel has been operating near the occupied city of Donetsk.

ISW has noted that Putin continues to rely on "crypto mobilization" and the establishment of new volunteer formations to avoid the domestic fallout associated with general or partial mobilization. This issue has become increasingly pressing for Putin since Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, necessitating a reallocation of Russian military resources to meet the new manpower requirements for defending this fresh front within...