Kathrine Frich
Tensions between allies can test even the strongest partnerships.
When two nations with powerful militaries try to fight side by side, trust becomes as crucial as ammunition.
But reports from the Russian front suggest that trust may now be running dangerously low.
Unlikely allies
North Korea and Russia signed a sweeping military pact last June, pledging to defend each other if either was attacked.
The deal, hailed by Kim Jong-Un as the “strongest ever,” marked a new era of cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
In return for its support, North Korea has reportedly received food, funds and technical aid as it works to modernise its forces.
Russia, meanwhile, has benefited from an influx of North Korean weapons, missiles and around 15,000 troops sent to reinforce its front lines near Ukraine.
Gunfire in Kursk
But the partnership has not gone smoothly.
Pro-Russian military bloggers claim that clashes between North Korean and Russian troops are becoming more common.
The latest confrontation is said to have taken place in the Kursk region near the Ukrainian border.
Reports suggest that North Korean soldiers fired on a Russian military convoy, damaging several vehicles.
As of yet there has been no official statement has made about the incident,
Deadly misunderstandings
North Korean soldiers are said to be highly suspicious of anyone taking photographs of them, reportedly believing that such people could be spies.
This paranoia has already led to several shootings.
Earlier this year, in one of the most serious cases, three North Korean soldiers allegedly killed five Russian marines in the village of Bolshoye Soldatskoye.
The attackers went on the run, sparking a major manhunt across the Kursk region.
Posters warned locals not to approach the suspects, describing them as “armed and dangerous” and urging anyone who spotted them to contact the authorities immediately.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, which may have used AI in the preparation
