Ukraine’s special operations forces reported that they killed three North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region and seized their military documents, which appeared to be fake. These documents lacked proper stamps and photographs, and the soldiers’ patronymic names were in the Russian style, with their place of birth listed as the Republic of Tuva, a Russian region. However, the signatures were in Korean, revealing their true origin. Ukraine claimed that this was evidence that Russia is trying to hide the presence of foreign fighters and their losses in battle.
The presence of North Korean soldiers in Russia has been a point of contention, with estimates from US, Ukrainian, and South Korean intelligence agencies suggesting that between 11,000 and 12,000 North Korean troops are now in Russia. These soldiers are believed to be assisting Russian forces in combat operations, particularly in the Kursk region, where they have fought alongside tens of thousands of Russian troops to reclaim territory lost to Ukrainian forces during an offensive in August. These North Korean troops are reportedly suffering heavy casualties.
According to US and Ukrainian officials, North Korean soldiers have sustained significant losses in Kursk. Since October, a senior US official noted that several hundred North Korean troops have been killed or wounded. A South Korean lawmaker further reported that approximately 100 North Koreans had been killed and nearly 1,000 injured in the region. Despite the heavy casualties, Russia is accused of attempting to cover up the involvement of these foreign troops in the conflict.
Ukraine Claims Russia is Hiding North Korean Soldier Losses in Kursk with Fake Documents and Cover-Ups
In addition to official reports, video footage circulating online in October appeared to show North Korean soldiers training in Russia. The video, filmed at a military base in Sergeyevka, Primorsky Krai, shows a Russian soldier referring to the troops as foreign reinforcements. This suggests that North Korea is sending large numbers of soldiers to assist Russia, with some estimates suggesting that the final number of North Korean soldiers in Russia could reach 12,000.
Ukraine’s special forces also reported the deaths of 50 North Korean soldiers in a span of just three days in December, highlighting the heavy toll on these foreign troops. Reports indicate that North Korean soldiers, wearing different uniforms from Russian troops, have been engaging in combat using infantry tactics reminiscent of the Korean War, characterized by waves of attacks. Despite their involvement in the fighting, neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have officially confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of attempting to cover up the losses of North Korean soldiers. He claimed that Russia has gone so far as to try to burn the faces of dead North Korean soldiers to obscure their identity. A video shared by Zelensky on December 17 purportedly showed Russian soldiers setting fire to the bodies of North Korean soldiers. Additionally, a Ukrainian drone unit posted footage on December 15 showing the bodies of over 20 North Korean soldiers lined up in a field, which Ukraine believes was an attempt to conceal their involvement before Russian forces could remove the bodies.
