The United States has reported that North Korean troops have been killed while fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk border region. These are the first reported casualties since it was revealed in October that North Korea had sent around 10,000 soldiers to bolster Russia’s military efforts.
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the GUR, stated that at least 30 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded during combat over the weekend. The BBC has not independently verified these claims. The North Korean soldiers, who are believed to have no prior combat experience, reportedly spent their initial weeks in Russia undergoing training and performing support roles.
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned that Russian forces had begun deploying a “significant number” of North Korean troops in their assaults on Kursk, a region that Ukraine has controlled since a surprise incursion in August.
Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder confirmed on Monday that the US believes North Korean soldiers had “engaged in combat in Kursk alongside Russian forces” and had suffered both fatalities and injuries. However, he did not provide specific numbers, noting that the North Korean troops had been involved in combat for “a little over a week.” Ryder added that the soldiers were likely serving in infantry roles, and their involvement appeared to be limited to the Kursk area, suggesting they had not been sent to Ukraine itself.
Russian forces, which began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, have recently been making progress in the eastern regions of Ukraine.
The GUR reported that the North Korean casualties occurred on Saturday and Sunday in the Kursk villages of Plekhovo, Vorobzha, and Martynovka.
On Monday, President Zelensky shared drone footage on Telegram showing several men taking cover behind trees, claiming they were North Korean troops who had just participated in an assault on a Ukrainian position. He also posted a video showing Russian troops attempting to conceal the presence of North Koreans by using a campfire to burn the faces of the fallen soldiers.
The latest tips & news straight to your inbox
Join 50,000+ subscribers for exclusive access to our monthly newsletter with Sports, Tech, Jobs, Entertainmentand tips!
“Ukraine’s Defense Forces and intelligence are working to assess the full extent of the casualties among Russian units that include North Koreans,” Zelensky stated. He also expressed that there was “no reason for North Koreans to die in this war.”
The Kremlin directed questions about the North Korean casualties to the Russian Ministry of Defence, which has yet to comment.
