North Korea Sends More Troops to Russia, South Korea's Spy Agency Reports
Additional North Korean Soldiers Deployed to Russia, Some Redeployed to Frontline in Kursk
North Korea has dispatched more troops to Russia and repositioned others to the frontline in the western Kursk region, according to South Korea's intelligence agency.
The exact number of additional soldiers remains unclear, but military sources cited in South Korean media estimate the figure to be at least 1,000. Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have confirmed these deployments.
Reports indicate that North Korean forces have suffered significant losses since they were first sent to support Russia in its war against Ukraine four months ago. In January, Western officials told the BBC that at least 1,000 of the 11,000 North Korean troops deployed had been killed within three months. However, both North Korea and Russia have remained silent on the matter.
On Thursday, South Korea’s intelligence agency revealed that North Korean troops already stationed in Russia were redeployed to the Kursk frontline in early February, following a month-long lull. Ukrainian special forces operating in Kursk previously reported in January that they had not encountered North Korean troops for several weeks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later confirmed their return to the battlefield.
Earlier intelligence reports from South Korea suggested that North Korean soldiers were ill-prepared for modern warfare, particularly vulnerable to Ukrainian drone attacks. However, defectors and military analysts have cautioned against underestimating their capabilities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. Last August, Ukrainian forces made a swift incursion into the Russian Kursk region, catching border guards off guard. Since then, Russia has been engaged in efforts to push them back.
Although Ukraine has lost some of the ground it gained, the presence of North Korean troops in Russia since October has contributed to Moscow’s counteroffensive. However, Ukraine still controls hundreds of square kilometers of Russian territory and continues to inflict heavy losses on Russian forces.
Russia has not provided an official update on its military casualties since September 2022, when it reported 5,937 deaths. Zelensky has stated that Ukraine's military has suffered 45,100 casualties, but experts believe the actual figures for both sides are significantly higher.
The first reports of North Korean troop deployments emerged in October, coinciding with deepening ties between Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Their growing alliance includes a security and defense treaty signed last year.
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