00:00Russian casualties alone have surpassed 1.5 million.
00:02Under these circumstances, Russia is seen expanding its troop numbers again
00:04and trying to get even more troops from North Korea.
00:06Today, let's take a proper look at this matter.
00:08Let's dive right in.
00:09First, let's look at the current losses of the Russian military.
00:11Richard Knighton, Chief of the Defense Staff of the British Armed Forces,
00:14stated that Russian casualties have reached over 1.5 million since invading Ukraine in February 2022.
00:18He noted that there are about 500,000 killed in action and roughly 1 million wounded.
00:22On top of that, they are also suffering combat equipment losses,
00:25including over 10,000 armored vehicles, more than 3,000 air defense systems and artillery weapons,
00:29and over 370 fighter jets and helicopters.
00:32Russia is recording its highest number of casualties since World War II,
00:35the losses are simply enormous.
00:36Of course, that doesn't mean Russia is on the defensive in this war.
00:39Even while absorbing immense losses,
00:41Russia keeps pushing more troops and equipment to the front line,
00:43waging a massive war of attrition.
00:44Consequently, the Ukrainian military is also suffering tremendous damage.
00:48Yet, Russia seems to be preparing even more troops this time.
00:51And that's where North Korea comes in.
00:52Ukrainian President Zelensky stated that over 8,000 North Korean troops are stationed on Russian soil,
00:57and preparations are underway to deploy an additional 10,000 troops.
01:00According to President Zelensky,
01:02the additional troops are reportedly preparing to move to Russia
01:05after undergoing a selection and training process.
01:07He also claimed that Russia is providing technology in exchange for the North Korean troop deployment,
01:12with next-generation attack drones being produced on North Korean soil with Russian technical support.
01:17What's important here is that North Korea's additional deployment may not simply be a matter of increasing troop numbers.
01:21That's because North Korea provides troops to Russia, and in the process,
01:25they may gain access to Russian military technology and modern warfare experience.
01:29However, we need to distinguish that large-scale drone production within North Korea,
01:32where the specific scope of technology transfer has not yet been confirmed by North Korea and Russia,
01:37and is currently a claim made by the Ukrainian side.
01:39North Korean troops are already stationed in Russia.
01:41In particular, the Kursk region in Russia is known to be a place where North Korean troops have actually been
01:44deployed into combat.
01:45Previous assessments by Ukraine and South Korea also identified that North Korean troops were deployed to the Kursk region
01:49to support the Russian military. Therefore, if the additional 10,000 troops mentioned this time actually mobilized,
01:54it would amount to a new deployment separate from the existing one.
01:56Of course, since this is information coming from Ukraine, we don't need to take it as confirmed fact right away.
02:01In fact, it has not yet been disclosed when these additional troops will move,
02:04which region they will be deployed to, or what mission they will be assigned.
02:07Russia, too, has not officially confirmed Ukraine's claim regarding the preparation of an additional 10,000 North Korean troops for
02:12deployment.
02:13However, considering that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia has continued recently,
02:16we need to keep a close eye on whether any actual movement takes place going forward.
02:20In particular, whether North Korean troops are actually seen moving into Russia,
02:23which regions within Russia they are heading to,
02:25and what kind of military and technological cooperation North Korea is pursuing with Russia are critical points.
02:30If additional deployments actually take place,
02:32Russia will see an increase in the size of foreign troops it can utilize on the front line,
02:35while North Korea will likely expand the scope of combat experience and technology it can gain through military cooperation with
02:40Russia.
02:40From now on, rather than the numbers themselves,
02:43it seems important to see where these troops are moving and what roles they will take on.
02:46On top of that, Russia has decided to further increase its troop strength,
02:48and on this day, a decree was passed to expand the authorized size of the Russian military by another 15
02:52,500 personnel.
02:53It was a presidential decree.
02:54This presidential decree sets the authorized strength of the Russian armed forces at 2,441,630,
02:59specifying that 1,550,500 of them are active-duty military personnel.
03:03Out of the total 2,441,630 personnel, excluding the 1,550,500 military members,
03:09the remainder are civilian staff handling administrative, technical, and support duties.
03:12The 15,500 personnel added under this presidential decree are all military personnel.
03:15Russian President Putin ordered that the federal budget allocate the necessary funds for the Ministry of Defense to maintain this
03:20troop level.
03:21Russian President Putin's decision to increase the Russian military forces is already the fourth time this year,
03:25with the quota continuously expanding with additions in March, June, July, and now September.
03:28On top of that, it looks like they're indiscriminately ramping up foreign mercenaries as well.
03:31According to the coordination headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war under Ukraine's defense intelligence,
03:36prisoners captured by Ukraine after fighting for the Russian military since the war began in 2022
03:40includes citizens from 55 different countries.
03:43In particular, since entering 2026, the Ukrainian side estimates that the proportion of foreigners among Russian prisoners of war has
03:48reached as high as 10%.
03:50Considering this figure was 4.8% in 2025 and 1.3% in 2024,
03:54it clearly shows that the scale of incorporating foreign nationals into the Russian military is increasing rapidly.
04:00The important point here is that Russia is not recruiting troops from just a specific country.
04:03Ukrainian intelligence authorities claim that Russia is expanding its recruitment,
04:06targeting people from low-income countries and migrants residing in Russia.
04:09In fact, analyses suggest that the number of foreigners who have signed contracts with the Russian military could reach tens
04:13of thousands,
04:14and cases of foreign nationals joining the Russian forces being deployed to the front lines continue to be confirmed.
04:19Amnesty International also pointed out in its 2026 report that Russia has expanded foreign recruitment,
04:24targeting individuals from low-income countries as well as migrants and refugees within Russia.
04:28In particular, the Ukrainian side claims that Russia is recruiting foreigners by offering high salaries,
04:32employment opportunities, Russian residency status, and citizenship.
04:35They claim that after signing the contract, there are cases where individuals are sent to the actual front lines.
04:39As a result, the nationalities of Russian prisoners of war captured in Ukraine are becoming increasingly diverse.
04:44The fact that the prisoners identified by Ukrainian government intelligence agencies
04:47come from countries in various regions such as South America, Asia, and Africa also reflects this trend.
04:52For Russia, utilizing foreign troops offers an alternative to securing additional forces domestically.
04:58This is especially true as the war drags on and troop recruitment becomes a critical issue,
05:02which is why analysts say they are continuing to expand the recruitment of foreigners.
05:05However, we must consider that the exact proportion of foreign prisoners among all Russian forces,
05:09as well as the actual scale of their deployment to the front line, are figures based on Ukrainian data.
05:13The trend we are seeing right now is that Russia is not just recruiting Russian nationals,
05:17but expanding its recruitment targets to include foreign personnel as well.
05:20If so, what on earth is Russia preparing for at this moment?
05:23Judging solely from the movements confirmed right now,
05:25it can be seen that Russia has entered a stage of expanding the sheer scale of its troops
05:28so that it can sustain the war for a long period.
05:30In fact, President Vladimir Putin signed a presidential decree on September 28th
05:33to once again expand the authorized strength of the Russian military,
05:36thereby increasing troop strength to 1,550,500 personnel.
05:39However, this measure itself does not immediately signify a new large-scale mobilization order.
05:44We will have to watch separately to see how the Russian government actually supplements its troops.
05:47But if Russia proceeds with additional mobilization in earnest, that could be a different story.
05:51If they have secured personnel primarily through contract soldiers and volunteers so far,
05:55going forward, institutional preparations may also be carried out to secure even more troops.
05:59The purpose behind Russia securing these troops is also important.
06:02They could be used to replenish troop shortages on the Ukrainian front lines
06:05or utilized to sustain a prolonged war by rotating existing units.
06:08Also, if they have extra manpower,
06:10we can consider the possibility of deploying troops in a new direction
06:13separate from the areas currently under pressure on the Ukrainian front.
06:16In particular, areas like Ukraine's northern front could regain attention.
06:19The important point here is that this does not necessarily mean
06:22Russia is definitively preparing to open a new front.
06:25However, if Russia secures additional troops and equipment
06:27and gains more capacity to maneuver forces across multiple directions,
06:30Ukraine may be left with the choice of dispersing troops
06:32currently concentrated on existing fronts to other regions.
06:35For Ukraine, this gives them reason to monitor Russian troop movements
06:38and equipment build-ups across a much wider range than before.
06:41The problem doesn't end here.
06:42In Europe, vigilance is also growing over the possibility of Russia
06:45taking direct military action against NATO maritime nations.
06:48The head of the Czech Intelligence Service even mentioned the possibility of Russia
06:51attempting limited incursions into NATO territory
06:53or engaging in false flag operations,
06:55and Denmark's Defense Intelligence Service also warned
06:57that Russia's hybrid activities against NATO could intensify in the future.
07:00However, there is another aspect just as important as Russia increasing its troops,
07:04just how much money Russia is pouring in to maintain such a large force and keep the war going.
07:07Russia's defense budget for 2027 is projected at 17.1 trillion rubles,
07:11approximately $202.6 billion.
07:14That is about a 27% increase from the previous plan
07:16and marks the highest level since the war began in 2022.
07:19Russia has even drawn up plans to inject around 50 trillion rubles
07:22into its defense budget over the next three years.
07:24This money is used not only for troops, salaries and compensation,
07:27but also for weapon and ammunition production,
07:28procurement of supplies, maintenance of military equipment,
07:31and various other costs needed to sustain the war.
07:33In other words, the national resources that Russia is pouring into the military sector itself continue to grow.
07:37However, the part that deserves closer attention is the budget for other sectors.
07:40According to Russia's 2027 budget plan,
07:42spending on social policy is said to be reduced by 7% education by 6% and healthcare by 6
07:46.8%.
07:47Spending on the national economy is also planned to decrease by 7.4%.
07:50They are even cutting budgets in non-military sectors to expand war-related spending.
07:54Russia is trying to make up for the shortfalls through tax hikes and increased government bond issuance.
07:59However, the fiscal burden continues to grow.
08:01The fiscal deficit forecast for 2026 has climbed to 3.2% of GDP,
08:05and national debt is projected to reach 21.7% of GDP by 2027.
08:10On top of that, debt repayment costs are also projected to rise significantly by 2027.
08:14While expanding troop numbers and bringing in foreigners and North Korean soldiers,
08:17Russia is simultaneously pouring massive funds into defense,
08:19suggesting it is continuing to secure the resources needed to wage a prolonged war.
08:22However, increasing defense spending doesn't mean Russia can sustain the cost of war indefinitely.
08:26It seems Russia is stretching itself a bit thin.
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