Russia to supply fighter aircraft to North Korea amid growing cooperation – ISW

Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have pointed to increasing cooperation between Russia and North Korea, with Russia reportedly transferring MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter aircraft to North Korea in exchange for the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia to support the war in Ukraine.

Source: ISW

Details: Russia plans to deliver fighter jets to North Korea as part of a deepening military partnership between the two nations.

Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), revealed on 10 December that Russia has agreed to supply MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets to North Korea in exchange for Pyongyang deploying troops to support Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.

Paparo noted that the delivery of these jets would strengthen North Korea’s military capabilities and suggested that Pyongyang likely expects further military assets and technology from Russia, including ballistic missile reentry vehicles, submarine technologies and air defence systems.

Paparo noted that North Korean soldiers remain in combat zones, likely in reference to Kursk Oblast, but are not yet actively fighting.

According to Paparo, North Korean forces are already present in combat zones, possibly in Kursk Oblast, though they have not yet taken part in active fighting. 

Earlier reports from South Korean network TV Chosun revealed on 21 October that North Korea sent a group of fighter pilots to Russia’s Vladivostok in early October, likely to train on Russian aircraft ahead of ground troop deployments.

Quote from ISW: "North Korean pilots are trained on Russian Su-25 attack aircraft (which are already part of the Korean People's Army [KPA] 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."

Details: ISW also assessed that military ties between Russia and North Korea have deepened considerably since the signing of their Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in June 2024, which officially took effect on 4 December.

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 10 December:

• Russia's force posture around Syria continues to reflect the Kremlin's current cautious and indecisive response to the fall of Bashar al Assad's regime.
• Russia intends to supply North Korea with fighter jets amid a growing military partnership between the two countries.
• Russian leader Vladimir Putin met with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Moscow on 10 December as India continues efforts to balance military technical cooperation with Russia and maintain good relations with key Western allies.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced on the Vuhledar front, and Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk and Kharkiv oblasts and in the Svatove, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, Vuhledar and Velyka Novosilka directions.
• The Russian government continues efforts to formalise irregular Russian military units and veterans from the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics army corps (DNR and LNR ACs) and formally integrate them under the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD).
• Russia continues to utilise Western-produced high-tech components in Russian weapons systems despite Western sanctions against Russia and cobelligerent states.
• A Russian insider source who has previously correctly predicted command changes within the Russian MoD claimed on 9 December that Russian leader Vladimir Putin promoted the Russian Deputy Defence Minister, Pavel Fradkov, to the rank of Major General.

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