North Korean troops bolster Russian advance in Sumy conflict
The Russians, along with North Korean soldiers, decided to continue their attack after the Ukrainians withdrew from the Kursk region, resulting in an incursion into the Ukrainian Sumy region. Here is what the North Koreans have at their disposal and how the Ukrainians are defending themselves.
According to the portal Militarnyj, Ukrainian soldiers from the 36th Independent Marine Brigade in the area of the village of Basivka in the Sumy region neutralised a group of Russian and North Korean assault soldiers moving on buggies and quads.
Vehicles of this type, just like motorcycles and modified Ladas or Moskviches, are increasingly used by Russians due to the insufficient number of infantry fighting vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, or even MRAPs. This is especially true for so-called exploitation units used in "meat assaults."
Fanaticism and good equipment from Russia
Kim Jong Un is said to have provided Russia with at least 12,000 soldiers to help reclaim the part of the Kursk region held by Ukrainians. Ukrainian reports estimated that at least one-third of the North Korean soldiers were killed, went missing, or were wounded.
The losses were due to an initially used tactic of mass infantry charges not seen in Europe since the world wars. However, it is worth noting that over time, the North Korean soldiers adopted the Russian tactic of small assault groups.
It is also worth highlighting that soldiers from North Korea are highly motivated and trained in the use of firearms, posing a significant threat if they get near Ukrainian trenches. The Russians also appear to be equipping the North Koreans with their best equipment, such as AK-12 rifles and gear like thermal sights.
Drones and artillery — the only solution to masses of Russians and North Koreans
Against such vast infantry numbers, the best option is to use drones, especially at night. These can be bombing drones like the "Baba Yaga," one-time FPV constructs, or FPV drones in a bombing variant or equipped with firearms with a range of over 10 kilometres. Additionally, the presence of artillery equipped with cluster munitions for area effect, as well as shells with fuzes that explode in mid-air, is very valuable.
An example is the M864 155 mm artillery shell, which contains many small bomblets. Some of these are designed to penetrate the upper armour of vehicles, while others have a fragmentation effect, creating a blast area with a radius of a few metres. One such shell can create a threat area of over 100 square metres.
Also helpful are mortars and automatic grenade launchers if their crews are in constant contact with a reconnaissance drone, allowing for precise indirect fire. Particularly effective are shells that explode at about 10 metres, scattering thousands of fragments over a large area.
