TOP North Korean military generals deployed to fight with the Russians are reportedly hiding in Putin’s lavish resort – miles away from the frontline.
They are said to be living a life of luxury as “ghosts” – away from the meatgrinder war where North Korean troops continue to die every day.
3
Photo shows the generals sent by Kim Jong-un to lead his forces against UkraineCredit: Credit: Pen News
3
Photo shows Kim Yong-bok, circled left, and Ri Chang-ho, circled right, with Kim Jong-unCredit: Credit: Pen News
3
A North Korean soldier captured in Kursk
Spy chiefs say that the North Koreans fighting for Russia are commanded by generals Kim Yong-bok and Ri Chang-ho – both close associates of the dictator.
But they are said to be living inside a Russian holiday home and keeping such a low profile that they’re like “ghosts” to their own men.
Kim Yong-bok heads up his country’s light infantry and special forces, which make up the bulk of North Korean forces fighting for Russia.
Ri is said to be a senior intelligence chief.
His exact role in the conflict is unclear, but it’s been suggested that he’s in charge of drone warfare.
Michael Madden, founder of North Korea Leadership Watch, said they were the top two generals out of six reportedly sent by Kim Jong-un.
Both of them have been photographed with Kim Jong-un on many occasions.
Mr Madden told The Sun: “A report from the Ukrainians said North Korea had sent about six general-grade officers to Russia, close to the theatre of operations.
“They were said to be housed at a luxury residence or resort. A separate report also said that their presence was so concealed and low-profile that they were like ghosts.
“[North Korean generals] are largely concealed both from North Korean forces deployed to Russia and from Russian personnel.
Watch Putin’s desperate North Korean troops chuck pensioners into the snow to use homes as shelter from Ukraine’s drones
“It is safe to assume that they interact with subordinate commanders on a routine basis, although those interactions may not be face-to-face.”
These generals are understood to speak with other North Korean military officials and get all the latest updates from the warzone.
The expert said: “They probably interact with some other North Korean officers, but not as much with troops in the field.
“They certainly receive daily battlefield reports, and issue commands and guidance within their purview.”
Mr Madden – a fellow of the Stimson Center in Washington DC – said: “These are both substantive military commanders with active command experience, at least within North Korea.
“Kim Yong-bok is a former special forces division commander and chief of staff.
“Given his age he may have served in some of North Korea’s overseas missions as a younger officer in the 1980s.
“Ri Chang-ho, being the good intel man that he is, is someone about whom we know less.
“But they are both trained and experienced in their respective fields.”
North Korea has reportedly sent at least 10,000 troops to join Russia’s war on Ukraine.
South Korean spy chiefs believe over 300 have been killed so far, and 2,700 wounded.
And though Kim Yong-bok and Ri Chang-ho are not in the firing line themselves, their absence from Pyongyang is clear from regime propaganda.
Mr Madden said: “North Korea has staged several events since November that each of these men would attend.
“Neither of these men attended.”
‘MEATGRINDER STRATERGY’
In terms of tactics, the methods of North Korean troops in Ukraine have been characterised as a “meat grinder strategy”.
A Lieutenant Colonel on the Ukrainian side told The Times: “Where Ukrainians use a mine-clearing vehicle, they just use people.
“They just walk in single file, three to four metres from each other, if one is blown up, then the medics go behind to pick up the dead, the crowd continues one after another.
“That’s how they pass through minefields.”
But they’re not mere cannon fodder.
Yuriy Bondar, of the 80th separate airborne assault brigade, wrote on Facebook: “The enemy does not surrender.
“They eliminate themselves according to the same scheme, a grenade near the head, and go.
“Those who remain on the battlefield are doused with flammable liquid and burned.”
CAPTURED IN KURSK
Ukraine has captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Vladimir Putin’s commanders have been desperate to hide the fact that their “meatgrinder” recruits have been supplied by ally Kim Jong Un.
One was captured on January 9 by Tactical Group 84 of Special Ops and the other by Ukrainian paratroopers, the Ukrainian secret service said.
They are now in Kyiv – where they will be questioned.
Zelensky said: “Our soldiers have captured North Korean military personnel in the Kursk region.
“Two soldiers, though wounded, survived and were transported to Kyiv, where they are now communicating with the Security Service of Ukraine.
“This was not an easy task: Russian forces and other North Korean military personnel usually execute their wounded to erase any evidence of North Korea’s involvement in the war against Ukraine.”
The military card of one of the captured men shows that the Russians gave the North Koreans fake identities with the pretence that they were from a remote region of Siberia.
This trick was exposed earlier when North Korean bodies killed in the war were inspected by Ukrainian servicemen.
One of the captives was given a false Russian identity of Antonin Ayasovich Arankyn, born 03.10.1998 in the republic of Tuva.
His document shows him to be single, with secondary higher education and the profession of a tailor.
The ID was issued by the Military Commissariat of the Pyi-Khemsky district, of Tuva, a mountainous Russian republic bordering Mongolia.
The other had no documents.
The SBU believes the pair are North Koreans after saying that the captive soldiers do not speak Ukrainian, English or Russian.
The soldier with the Russian identity said this was issued to him when he was brought to fight in the war.
I was a North Korean soldier – troops will be used as ‘human shields’
by James Halpin
A FORMER North Korean soldier said the troops in Russia will be looking to escape the battle in Ukraine “from the beginning”.
Speaking to The Sun before North Korean troops were deployed in Ukraine, Hyun-Seung Lee, a soldier in the Kim army in the early 2000s, said the soldiers in North Korea will be forced to go the war.
He said they will be young, so they won’t be that committed to the fighting.
He said: “It will be individuals at first, but more like as time passes, I think there’ll be like a larger number of group defections, including officers.”
That’s because, Lee says, the Russians will likely treat them as “expendable” and even more poorly than their own troops.
He said: “Russian soldiers don’t respect them as their fellow warriors
“They will treat them as their human shields.”
Eventually, the North Koreans will realise the hierarchy and how they are being seen as “disposable” by the Russians and look to flee, Lee said.
He added: “I think they’ll die without any impact.
“Putin and Kim Jong-un would expect more from them… they won’t get the expected results.”
“So, [troops will be told] ‘don’t pick up any material from Ukraine government or in the South Korean language’ and ‘they [claims in the propaganda they hear] are all fake’, and ‘it’s not true’ if someone defects, or ‘if you’re arrested, you’ll be tortured’.”
But Lee believes the soldiers will be susceptible to any psy-ops the Ukrainian government uses to try and get troops to defect.
He added: “I would say, if Ukraine’s government conducts a psychological strategy against North Korean soldiers then the chances are really high [of defection] because they don’t have real motivation. It’s not for money, right? They are not getting paid.
“And obviously it’s [their motivation] not defending your country, and then your parents, and yourself. So it’s just that they are mobilised by the North Korean supreme commander Kim Jong-un.”