Russia Desperate to Help North Korea...We've run out of weapons.

[Anchor]
Russia has said it will provide military aid to North Korea in the event of a conflict on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea is reportedly sending a large number of troops to the Ukrainian front, deepening its military ties between the two countries.

It is observed that the situation in Russia, which is at war with Ukraine, is difficult without North Korea's help.

Reporter Kwon Young-hee reports.

[Reporter]
Russia is launching a major offensive to reclaim the land it lost to Ukraine.

It claims to have recently recaptured half of the Kursk region occupied by Ukraine.

There is a pattern of Russian attacks these days.

The Ukrainian military intelligence service analyzed that if North Korean weapons are shipped and arrive in Russia about a week later, the intensity of the attack will increase for two weeks from then.

Russia has already used up all of its weapons stocks produced during the Soviet era.

We are making weapons, but the quality is greatly reduced due to the lack of raw materials, labor, and parts.

We have no choice but to use North Korean weapons, which are considered a few steps below.

[Volodymyr Zelensky / Ukrainian President: (According to intelligence reports) North Korea's involvement in the war, Russia's relationship with other countries involved in the protracted war is clear.]

There is also a huge shortage of troops.

The U.S. military believes 120,000 Russian troops were killed and 180,000 wounded in the war in Ukraine.

Ukrainian media say Russian forces are forming a 3,000-strong battalion-level unit with troops sent by North Korea.

There is a series of news that North Korea is providing troops beyond the supply of weapons.

[Matthew Miller / U.S. State Department spokesman] Concerned about reports that North Korean soldiers are fighting on behalf of Russia. If this is true, it means that Russia's desperation, which continues to suffer significant casualties, has reached a new level.]

Russian President Putin recently ordered 180,000 more people to be conscripted.

Russia's current unemployment rate is 2.4%, half that of the pre-war 5% figure.

Recruitment of troops is inevitably difficult as a proof that the shortage of manpower is very serious.

I'm YTN's Kwon Younghee.

Edit
video: Lim Hyun-chul