In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un (R) and and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands after a welcoming ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on June 19, 2024. (Gavril Grigorov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
THE KYIV INDEPENDENT | Published December 11, 2024
Russia may have transferred MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets to North Korea in exchange for North Korean soldiers, Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said on Dec. 8, according to Aviation Week Network.
Paparo also noted that North Korea likely seeks additional military capabilities from Russia, including ballistic missile technology, reentry vehicles, submarine technology, and air defense systems.
Aviation Week highlighted that the transfer of MiG-29s and Su-27s would significantly upgrade North Korea’s air force, which currently relies on aging Soviet-era aircraft.
Defense Express says North Korea possesses 18 MiG-29s, 34 Su-25s, and a variety of older MiG models, many of which may be non-operational.
According to the publication, the extent of Russia’s aircraft transfers will depend on its current inventory, which reportedly included 185 MiG-29 and Su-27 as of early 2024.
North Korea’s strengthening military ties with Russia have drawn international scrutiny. During a Nov. 30 meeting with a Russian defense delegation, Kim Jong Un reaffirmed North Korea’s “invariable support” for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
This cooperation has also included the deployment of North Korean soldiers.
The Ukrainian National Resistance Center reported that North Korean troops, numbering between 10,000 and 12,000, have been stationed at observation posts and checkpoints in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
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SOURCE: www.kyivindependent.com
RELATED: Russia To Arm North Korean Air Force With MiG-29 & Su-27 Fighter Jets For Help In Ukraine War: Reports
EURASIAN TIMES | Published December 11, 2024
The United States’ top officer in the Pacific revealed that Russia has reached an agreement with North Korea to send MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets to Pyongyang in exchange for North Korean troops to assist in Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, the leader of the US Indo-Pacific Command, made the disclosure during his address at the Reagan National Defense Forum on December 7.
Paparo said that the deal involves Russia providing North Korea with “formidable, but early fourth-generation” fighter jets.
However, Paparo refrained from specifying how many aircraft would be transferred. In return, Pyongyang has already sent around 12,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
Paparo pointed out that North Korea’s military assistance was offered voluntarily, without prompting from Moscow. While not yet in active combat, these soldiers are believed to be stationed in combat zones within Ukraine.
North Korea is likely seeking more than aircraft in return. According to Paparo, Pyongyang may be eyeing advanced military technologies, including ballistic missile re-entry vehicles, modern submarine systems, and upgraded air defense capabilities. Such a trade would enhance North Korea’s military posture in the region.
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SOURCE: www.eurasiantimes.com
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