Julian McBride (2024-12-24). Is Russia's Mutual Defense Pact With North Korea Truly Mutual? counterpunch.org Against the backdrop of nearly 11 years of total war in Ukraine, Russia and North Korea are increasing military cooperation into a full military defense pact. Both Pyongyang and Moscow have signed a mutual defense obligation if either country is attacked. Currently, several thousand North Korean troops have been deployed to fight Ukrainian forces in