More than 5,000 North Korean troops have been reported as casualties while fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region. This figure was confirmed by the UK Ministry of Defense in an intelligence update shared on Friday.
According to the update, approximately one-third of the casualties were killed in action as of last month. This amounts to almost half of the 11,000 North Korean troops initially sent to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The casualty rate for these forces has raised significant concerns.
The ministry also noted that the North Korean troops have likely sustained heavy losses due to large-scale, high-casualty dismounted assaults. These types of operations are known to be particularly deadly.
Despite these losses, recent reports suggest that North Korean and Russian forces have made some territorial gains in the Kursk region. However, the ministry emphasized that the North’s military operations are confined to the area. Any decision to deploy North Korean forces to Ukrainian territory would require approval from both North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The South Korean military reported last week that North Korean troops sustained 4,000 casualties out of the 11,000 sent last year. In addition, South Korean authorities estimated that 3,000 more troops were deployed in January and February of this year, bringing the total to a larger number.
The continued deployment of North Korean troops reflects ongoing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. However, as casualties mount, the future of these deployments remains uncertain. The heavy toll on North Korean forces raises questions about their ability to continue supporting Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine.
