Солдаты КНДР могут не осознавать своего будущего в войне / Getty Images

North Korea has sent thousands of young soldiers to Russia, who are supposedly elite special forces. However, experts estimate that they are likely to suffer heavy casualties in the war due to a lack of combat experience, unfamiliarity with the terrain, and participation in the fiercest battles.

According to the Independent, former North Korean military personnel note that these soldiers may be unaware of their grim future and view the "Russian tour" with pride as a rare opportunity to earn good money, see a foreign country for the first time, and gain privileged treatment for their families back home.

"They are still too young and do not understand what this means. They will simply consider it an honor to have been chosen to go to Russia from among many North Korean soldiers. But I think most of them are unlikely to return home alive," says Lee Woon-gil, a former North Korean soldier who emigrated to South Korea.

As noted by Ahn Chang-il, a former first lieutenant in the North Korean army, the DPRK is likely to offer these soldiers various incentives to enhance their social status, such as membership in the ruling Workers' Party and the right to move to Pyongyang. Even the families of soldiers sent to Russia may receive benefits like good housing or admission to prestigious universities.

"North Korean soldiers see the trip to Russia as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Ahn states.

While significant losses among North Korean troops would pose a serious political blow to the country's leader Kim Jong-un, experts say that Kim may view this as a means to gain essential foreign currency and security support from Russia.

"Kim Jong-un is taking a big gamble. If there aren't many casualties, he will to some extent get what he wants. But everything will change drastically if many of his soldiers die in battle," Ahn warns.

Experts note that if North Korean soldiers witness the mass deaths of their comrades, many may surrender to Ukrainian forces and request relocation to South Korea.

"North Korea will continue to conceal the deployment of its troops from its own people, as the population would be alarmed to learn that their soldiers are being sent abroad to face death," said Nam Sung-wook, a former director of the analytical center at South Korea's spy agency.

DPRK Military in the Ukraine War

CNN reports that some North Korean soldiers are already in Ukraine. Their numbers are expected to increase. Previously, the Pentagon stated that around 10,000 troops from North Korea have been sent to eastern Russia. They may join Russian forces near Ukraine in the coming weeks.

Moreover, as The War Zone notes, North Korea's involvement in an actual war will provide its soldiers with invaluable experience in modern combat conditions, including drones, precision weaponry, and electronic warfare. The skills acquired on the Ukrainian plains are similar to those that may arise during a conflict on the Korean Peninsula, which is a significant advantage for North Korea.