Russia intends to supply fighter jets to North Korea - ISW

That’s according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that the commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Admiral Samuel Paparo, reported on December 10 that Russia and North Korea had concluded an agreement with Moscow agreeing to send MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets to Pyongyang in exchange for the deployment of DPRK troops to Russia to support the war effort in Ukraine.

Paparo emphasized that thanks to the fighter jets, North Korea will strengthen its military potential. In addition, as part of the deal, Pyongyang is likely expecting additional military equipment and technology from Russia, including ballistic missile recently vehicles, submarine technology, and air defense systems.

The admiral also noted that North Korean troops remain in hostility zones, likely referring to Kursk region, but they are not currently engaged in active combat, the report says.

ISW recalled that on October 21, the South Korean TV Chosun channel published an exclusive report stating that North Korea sent an unspecified number of fighter pilots to Vladivostok ahead of the deployment of ground forces to Russia in early October, likely to train its pilots to fly Russian fighter jets.

“North Korean pilots are trained on Russian Su-25 attack aircraft (which are already part of the Korean People's Army Air Force fleet) further indicating that a Russian delivery of fighter jets will benefit and expand North Korea's military capabilities, especially in the air domain,” the analysts noted.

According to ISW, military cooperation between Russia and North Korea intensified after the two countries signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty on June 19, 2024, and especially as it entered into force on December 4.

As Ukrinform reported, on November 11, North Korea ratified the CSPT with Russia, signed by Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang.

Even before the ratification, Pyongyang dispatched nearly 12,000 troops to Russia to support the war effort against Ukraine. To conceal the deployment from the international community, the troops were provided with Russian IDs and military uniforms.