Now that Ukraine has captured two North Korean soldiers for the first time, a new situation arises in the conflict with Russia. While some and others show their cards about the possible future of Pyongyang’s soldiers, an apparently inconsequential fact has ended up revealing something much bigger. It happened last December, when a Ukrainian soldier found a piece of paper and a strange drawing on the battlefield.
A diary. Apparently and as has been revealed, it is a diary found by Ukrainian special forces. What is interesting in this case is its origin, since it belonged to the North Korean soldier Gyeong Hong Jong, who died in battle.
As explained from Ukraine, it has revealed shocking details about the participation of North Korean troops in the war in Russia. The diary fragments contain both rudimentary military strategies and personal reflections that shed light on the lives of these soldiers in a conflict marked by “silent” collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Military tactics: how to evade drones. One of the most striking elements of the diary found is a drawing of schematic figures that describe how to neutralize enemy drones. The strategy involves using one soldier as “bait” to attract the drone while two others fire accurately from a specific distance. The “bait” in question must be placed, according to the paper, seven meters from the drone, while the shooters operate from a distance of 10 to 12 meters. There is no doubt, the tactic reflects a disturbing disposition to individual sacrifice in favor of the collective.
There is more, of course. The Wall Street Journal translated part of the diary, detailing that there were also ways to minimize the impact of artillery attacks, such as dispersing in small groups and taking refuge in previously bombed areas, always under the belief that these places would not be attacked again. . These practices evidence a pragmatic, if rudimentary, approach to modern battlefield threats.
Personal confessions. Beyond the tactics and as we said, the diary also reveals personal aspects of the soldier. In this regard, Gyeong Hong Jong confessed to having stolen assets from his Russian allies to sell them, although he did not specify which ones. He was apparently caught in the act and vowed to stop, pledging to “heroically advance and destroy the enemy.” The soldier also expressed in the diary his devotion to Kim Jong Un and some nostalgia for his home in North Korea, showing a human side amid the brutality of the conflict.
Geopolitical implications. It is the leg that we have been counting these months. Neither Russia nor North Korea have officially recognized this military collaboration. However, Ukraine has repeatedly highlighted North Korean involvement, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy releasing a large number of images and videos of the two captured North Korean soldiers. In this regard, it must be said that, although this evidence has been corroborated by various intelligence agencies, including South Korean ones, the official denial persists.
Image | Ukrainian Intelligence Telegram
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