Drawing in North Korean Soldier’s Diary Reveals Drone ‘Bait’ Tactic

• Ukraine has been releasing excerpts of what its forces say is a North Korean soldier’s diary.
• They embody a stick-figure sketch of utilizing a comrade as “bait” to shoot down a drone.
• Different entries embody musings on class struggles and a confession for stealing undisclosed Russian gadgets.

Excerpts from a North Korean soldier’s diary launched by Ukraine present a glimpse at how Pyongyang’s troops in Russia believed they might defend in opposition to drones and artillery strikes.

Ukraine’s particular forces have been releasing excerpts of the diary since Christmas week, saying the entries had been written by a now-deceased North Korean personal named Gyeong Hong Jong.

The most recent of those, printed on Thursday, appeared to characteristic the younger soldier confessing that he was stealing gadgets from his Russian allies to promote. He didn’t specify what the stolen items had been however wrote that he had been caught.

“Whereas working within the barracks, I believed that nobody was watching me and put the Russians’ issues in my pocket,” the diary excerpt stated, per Ukraine’s particular forces.

“I’ll now not commerce in different individuals’s issues. I’ll heroically advance within the forefront and destroy the enemy,” the soldier added.

Different entries launched by Ukraine included praises of North Korean chief Kim Jong Un and musings on class wrestle.

“Eager for my homeland, having left the nice and cozy embrace of my expensive father and mom right here on Russian land. I have fun the birthday of my closest comrade Track Ji Myong,” one other entry learn, per a translation by The Wall Avenue Journal.

One of many earliest entries, printed by Ukraine on December 26, featured a stick-figure drawing of what the soldier described as “Easy methods to remove a drone.”

The easy illustration confirmed a determine standing upright on open floor whereas one other two stick figures fired at a quadcopter drone.

“If a UAV is noticed, collect in teams of three,” the diary learn, per The Journal’s translation. “One individual should act as bait to lure the drone whereas the opposite two take intention and neutralize it with precision taking pictures. The bait should preserve a distance of seven meters from the drone. The opposite two ought to put together to shoot down the drone from a distance of 10 to 12 meters. When the bait stands nonetheless, the drone will cease and it may be shot down.”

Ukraine’s particular forces stated the North Korean soldier additionally wrote of how one can keep away from artillery strikes. An excerpt of his diary stated that Pyongyang’s troops had been presupposed to “disperse in small teams” if fired upon by artillery.

The excerpt additionally stated he might disguise within the location of “the earlier hit” as a result of he believed artillery does not repeatedly strike the very same spot.

Enterprise Insider could not independently confirm the authenticity of the diary entries. Ukraine posted photographs of what it stated had been the soldier’s corpse and passport. The Journal additionally cited a former North Korean soldier and a former South Korean main normal who stated the selection of phrases within the diary aligned with the ideology and vernacular of North Korea’s troops.

The soldier’s diary might give perception into how North Korean forces are adapting battlefield doctrine for fight in Russia.

The West worries that Pyongyang’s involvement will enable its forces to glean invaluable classes from battling Ukraine, particularly as they face off in opposition to American and European tools and encounter drone warfare.

Dorothy Camille Shea, the deputy US ambassador to the UN, stated on Wednesday that Pyongyang “is considerably benefiting from receiving Russian navy tools, know-how, and expertise, rendering it extra able to waging battle in opposition to its neighbors.”

Western and South Korean intelligence says that 12,000 North Korean troops are stationed and combating in Kursk, a Russian border area that Ukraine attacked in the summertime of 2024.

Moscow hasn’t addressed the presence of Pyongyang’s troops on its soil, however Ukraine has more and more been making an attempt to solid a highlight on North Korea’s direct involvement within the battle.

Most just lately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy printed pictures of who he stated had been two captured North Korean troopers. He didn’t present proof that they had been North Korean, although Seoul’s intelligence service backed up his declare.

“This was not a straightforward activity: Russian forces and different North Korean navy personnel normally execute their wounded to erase any proof of North Korea’s involvement within the battle in opposition to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy wrote. He has stated that round 3,000 North Korean troopers had been wounded or killed.

Hundreds of North Korean troops function a invaluable supply of manpower for Russia, which is counting on mass infantry assaults alongside the entrance traces to whittle down Ukraine’s defenses.

Nonetheless, Pyongyang’s reinforcements are nonetheless few in comparison with the over 600,000 those who Ukraine and the West consider Moscow has misplaced.

Russia is believed to be offering Kim with much-needed funds, financial help, meals, and know-how in trade for the latter’s troops.