North Korea's troops will become "cannon fodder" if they help Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine

The Pentagon said on Tuesday, 25 June, that North Korean troops sent to Ukraine to help in Russia's war would be "cannon fodder".

Here's What We Know

Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder was answering a question about North Korea's potential to send army engineering units to the Russian-occupied eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine.

"If I were the leadership of the North Korean military personnel, I would question my choice to send my forces as cannon fodder in an illegal war against Ukraine," he said.

According to South Korea's TV Chosun, citing a South Korean official, North Korea plans to send construction and engineering forces to occupied Ukraine next month for reconstruction work.

Earlier this month, Russia and North Korea signed an agreement agreeing to provide each other with military assistance if the other is attacked. Countries including the United States and Japan condemned the move, and South Korea said it would lift all restrictions on arms exports and provide Ukraine with lethal weapons if necessary.

Ryder described North Korea potentially sending military forces to Russia as "something to certainly watch out for" and alluded to the high number of Russian casualties during the war.

It is worth noting that the UK Ministry of Defence said in late May that the total number of Russian military killed or wounded since February 2022 was about 500,000. They also noted that the average daily loss of Russian personnel in May was over 1,200.

Source: Business Insider