Against the backdrop of significant combat losses and the gradual depletion of resources, the Russian military-political leadership is trying to drag another country into the war against Ukraine . As noted by the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ministry of Defense, in addition to the mass recruitment of mercenaries from African and Asian countries, as well as units of the DPRK, the Kremlin is working on the possibility of drawing so-called partners into the war against Ukraine under the guise of implementing humanitarian projects in Russian regions bordering Ukraine. "The next country that Russia is trying to drag into war is Laos,"the HUR emphasized. Intelligence reported that the Kremlin is currently organizing the involvement of a combined detachment of engineering troops of the Lao People's Army to demining areas in the Kursk region. This country is very dependent on external aid, therefore, as noted by intelligence, the leadership of Laos at the initial stage expressed its readiness to send up to 50 "military sappers" to the Russian Federation. In addition, Laos provides free treatment to Russian occupiers wounded in the war against Ukraine. "Russia, hiding behind humanitarian rhetoric, is trying to legalize the presence of a foreign military contingent on its territory, using it to support military operations against Ukraine," the GUR stated. On July 2, it became known that North Korea would send 30,000 soldiers to the war against Ukraine. As satellite images showed, Russia has already begun transporting North Korean soldiers to its territory. South Korea's National Intelligence Service said North Korea had begun selecting personnel for the mission, which could take place as early as July or August. As CNN reports , citing a Ukrainian intelligence assessment, the troops could arrive in Russia in the coming months, in addition to the 11,000 sent in November 2024, which helped the Russians repel Ukraine's offensive in the Kursk region. According to Western officials, about 4,000 of those North Korean soldiers were killed or wounded during the deployment, but Pyongyang's cooperation with Moscow has flourished since then. The Ukrainian assessment states that the Russian Defense Ministry is capable of providing “the necessary equipment, weapons and ammunition” for “further integration into Russian combat units.” The document adds that “there is a high probability that North Korean soldiers will reinforce Russian troops during a new offensive. Jenny Town, a senior fellow and director of the Korea program at the Stimson Center, said the Ukrainian estimate of 30,000 sounded “overstated,” but the 20,000 figure was likely. The analyst noted that in any case, they would not be elite soldiers, but that it all “depends on what Russia asks for”:
