A recent incident has highlighted the consequences of language barriers and poor communication in warfare.
According to Ukrainian officials, Russian paramilitary soldiers were accidentally targeted and killed by North Korean troops in a friendly fire incident.
This occurred in the Kursk Oblast, where Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) soldiers have been assisting Russian troops, with approximately 11,000 DPRK personnel stationed in Russia.
The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) stated, “The aggressor state of Russia has begun to use DPRK soldiers in assault operations in the Kursk region, in particular, as part of the combined units of the marines and airborne troops of the Russian Armed Forces”.
The DIU also noted that the North Korean troops have suffered significant losses due to successful fire attacks by the Ukrainian Security and Defense Forces.
In one instance, the language barrier between Russian and North Korean troops led to a tragic outcome. The DIU explained, “When using the DPRK troops on the battlefield, the language barrier remains problematic to control and coordinate actions”.
This communication breakdown resulted in North Korean soldiers opening friendly fire on the vehicles of the Akhmat special forces unit, ultimately killing eight Kadyrovite soldiers.
