North Korea is said to have sent 10,000 soldiers to Russia for support. According to the Pentagon, units in the Kursk region are now fighting on the front line – and without much combat experience.
According to a US government official, the North Korean units fighting on Russia's side have suffered heavy losses in battles with the Ukrainian army in the Russian border region of Kursk. “Our most recent estimate is that North Korea has suffered several hundred casualties,” said the senior US military official in Washington.
The government representative continued that the number of victims he cited included slightly injured soldiers as well as soldiers killed. Soldiers of all ranks are affected. “These are not battle-hardened troops. They have never been in combat before,” he continued.
Russia and North Korea increased their military cooperation after Russia's attack on Ukraine in February 2022. In June, the two countries signed a defense pact that came into force this month. From mid-October there were the first reports of North Korean soldiers being sent to Russia.
Russian counteroffensive in Kursk region
According to US government estimates, North Korea sent around 10,000 soldiers to reinforce Russian units. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the weekend that Russia was using North Korean soldiers “to a significant extent” in the fighting in Kursk. They fought in mixed units alongside Russian soldiers.
On Monday, Ukrainian military intelligence said at least 30 North Korean soldiers had been killed or injured there. The Ukrainian army invaded the Kursk region in August and occupied several hundred square kilometers there. In the meantime, however, they had to give up a large part of the conquered territory. On Tuesday, the Ukrainian army leadership said that Russia had launched an “intense” counteroffensive in the region involving “North Korean army units.”
The White House and the Pentagon confirmed earlier this week that North Korean forces were fighting on the front lines alongside Russian units – in some cases independently.
