Why are North Korean troops fighting for Vladimir Putin on Russian frontline in Ukraine?

Russia's president Vladimir Putin and North Korea's dictator Kim Jong-un have signed a secret 'mutual aid agreement' for ammunition and missiles, as well as military personnel

Some 3,000 North Korean troops are said to be joining the Russian army on the frontline in Ukraine as Pyongyang continues to strengthen its military alliance with the Kremlin.

The reports emerged after Russian president Vladimir Putin and its North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong-un, signed a secret "mutual aid agreement" in June that may have facilitated the transfer of ammunition and missiles, and also military personnel. Sources with knowledge of the war in Ukraine have claimed that North Korean soldiers are being trained to be deployed on the frontline after Russia faced high numbers of casualties.

Sources within Ukraine's Military Intelligence claimed that up to 3,000 soldiers from North Korea would join the "Special Buryat Battalion" which is part of the 11th separate airborne assault brigade of the Russian Armed Forces. It is believed the battalion is currently being supplied with small arms and ammunition.

According to the Kyiv Post, the battalion may be deployed near Sudzha and Kursk, close to the Ukrainian border. The publication reported that the military alliance is part of a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between Russia and North Korea, which states that if either country is attacked and enters a state of war, the other would provide military and other assistance by using all available means.

However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed reports of North Korean involvement in the war, saying: "This is not only British intelligence, it is also American intelligence. They report it all the time, they don't provide any evidence."

The BBC reported that a military source in Russia's Far East confirmed that "a number of North Koreans have arrived" and were stationed in one of the military bases near Ussuriysk, to the north of Vladivostok. While a specific number wasn't confirmed, the source said the number of soldiers were "absolutely nowhere near 3,000".

But quoting one analyst in Russia, the BBC said it won't be easy for the Russian army to incorporate North Korean soldiers in their thousands. The analyst said: "It wasn't even that easy to include hundreds of Russian prisoners at first – and all those guys spoke Russian."

Involving North Korean troops in the war would mark "a significant increase" in the relationship between Pyongyang and the Kremlin, said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, adding that the move would show "a new level of desperation by Russia" after several soldiers were either killed or wounded on the battlefield.

According to reports, dozens of North Korean technicians have also been sent to Ukraine to assist in the deployment of exported weapons, including KN-23 ballistic missiles. It is believed that in return for helping Russia, North Korea will gain financially and militarily. During the war, North Korean troops could also gain knowledge on warfare as Kim's country faces tensions with South Korea and its allies.