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The United States has stated that Russia is set to provide North Korea with fighter jets in exchange for the thousands of troops sent by Pyongyang to support Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, revealed that North Korea is slated to receive MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft, Soviet-era jets introduced more than 40 years ago, as reported by Aviation Week Network.
This announcement follows confirmation from the Pentagon that thousands of North Korean soldiers have been deployed to the Russian frontline in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have been engaged in a counteroffensive since August. Paparo noted that although these troops are stationed in combat zones, they have not participated in direct combat, a statement that differs from recent remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Despite the MiG-29s and Su-27s being older aircraft, Paparo described them as “formidable” assets that would enhance North Korea’s air capabilities. North Korea’s existing fleet of combat jets was largely procured from the Soviet Union and later China.
South Korea, North Korea’s rival, operates more modern fighter jets, including upgraded versions of U.S.-made F-15s and F-16s, F-35 stealth fighters, and the KAI T-50 warplanes.
The U.S. and its allies have raised concerns that the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea could lead to the transfer of advanced technology, which may assist Pyongyang’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs, which are under United Nations sanctions.
In a related development, South Korea’s defense chief reported that Russia had sent air defense missiles to North Korea as part of a reciprocal arrangement for the deployment of North Korean troops. Additionally, South Korea has accused Pyongyang of shipping munitions to Russia to replenish its dwindling stockpiles.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to operate aging F-16 jets supplied by European allies, with more scheduled for delivery next year. France has also pledged to send Mirage 2000 fighter jets, similar in age to the MiG-29s and Su-27s.
The growing military alliance between Russia and North Korea has raised concerns in the region, with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin calling North Korea’s military support for Russia a “dangerous and destabilizing escalation.”
Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a landmark military cooperation agreement. Both nations have emphasized that only countries intending to launch attacks need to worry about their partnership and have denied any claims of North Korean troops being on the ground in Ukraine.
