Why Is Xi Jinping Visiting North Korea?

According to a BBC investigation, about 2,300 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine. The report says Pyongyang has not only sent troops but is also accused of supplying ammunition to support Russia’s military campaign. In return, North Korea is believed to be receiving oil and aid, deepening concerns over the scope of cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.

The allegations have heightened alarm in Washington and among U.S. allies, who view the reported military exchange as a significant escalation in North Korea’s involvement in the conflict. The prospect of North Korean weapons and personnel being used to support Russia’s war effort suggests a growing alignment between two heavily sanctioned states, both of which face increasing isolation from the West.

The reported losses of North Korean troops are especially notable because they point to direct battlefield exposure in a foreign war, rather than limited logistical or symbolic support. If accurate, the figure would indicate that North Korean forces have suffered substantial casualties while operating in support of Russian objectives.

For the United States and its partners, the development raises concerns about the sustainability and expansion of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. It also underscores the challenge of enforcing sanctions and limiting the flow of weapons, fuel, and strategic assistance between the two countries. Analysts have warned that such cooperation could complicate efforts to pressure Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, while also strengthening North Korea’s military and political position.

China, which has historically maintained influence over North Korea and sought to balance its relationship with Moscow, is also said to be quietly unsettled by the situation. Beijing has not publicly embraced deeper North Korea-Russia military ties, and the emergence of a more open defense relationship could create strategic complications for China in the region. A stronger partnership between Pyongyang and Moscow may reduce Beijing’s leverage and increase instability near its borders.

The reported ammunition shipments further suggest that North Korea may be playing a more active role in sustaining Russia’s war machine than previously understood. That has prompted renewed scrutiny of how North Korea may be benefiting from the conflict, including through access to energy supplies and other forms of support that could help offset the impact of international sanctions.

The BBC investigation places the relationship between Russia and North Korea at the center of growing global concern. With casualties mounting and accusations of arms transfers growing, the partnership appears to be moving beyond diplomatic signaling into direct wartime cooperation. For Ukraine and its allies, that possibility raises the stakes of the conflict and broadens the list of actors shaping the war’s outcome.