The United States has reported that North Korean troops have lost their lives while engaging with Ukrainian forces in the Kursk border region of Russia.
The recent reports indicate that these would mark the first casualties since revelations surfaced in October regarding North Korea’s deployment of approximately 10,000 troops to bolster Russia’s military campaign.
According to Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the GUR, at least 30 North Korean troops have reportedly been killed or wounded in the recent fighting over the weekend.
North Korean troops, lacking prior combat experience, are reported to have dedicated their initial weeks in Russia to training and subsequently engaging in support roles.
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Russia has commenced utilizing a “significant number” of forces in its attacks in Kursk, a region that Ukraine has held since initiating a surprise incursion in August.
During a press briefing on Monday, Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder stated that the United States has reason to believe North Korean troops have participated in combat in Kursk alongside Russian forces, resulting in casualties, including both fatalities and injuries.
The official refrained from providing exact figures, stating only that the troops had been engaged in combat for “a little over a week ago.”
He noted that the North Koreans seemed to be assigned to infantry roles, with their participation reportedly confined to Kursk, suggesting that they have yet to be deployed within Ukraine.
In recent months, Russian forces have made significant advances in the eastern regions of Ukraine following their full-scale invasion that began in February 2022.
The GUR reported that North Korean casualties took place over the weekend in the Kursk villages of Plekhovo, Vorobzha, and Martynovka.
On Monday, President Zelensky shared drone footage on Telegram depicting several men seeking refuge behind trees. He claimed these individuals were North Korean troops who had recently engaged in an assault on a Ukrainian position.
He shared footage that he claimed depicted Russian troops attempting to hide the involvement of North Koreans on the battlefield, reportedly using a campfire to incinerate the faces of the deceased.
“The Defence Forces and intelligence of Ukraine are currently engaged in efforts to assess the complete scale of the losses incurred by Russian units, which reportedly include personnel from North Korea,” he stated.
He stated that there exists “not a single reason for North Koreans to die in this war.”
The Kremlin has directed inquiries regarding the fatalities in North Korea to the Russian Ministry of Defence, which has yet to state the matter.
In the wake of reports detailing fatalities, the European Union, along with nations such as the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and South Korea, has condemned Pyongyang’s role in the conflict, labeling it a “dangerous expansion… with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific security.”
This week, the US Treasury Department revealed sanctions targeting nine individuals and seven entities due to their financial and military backing of North Korea.
