North Korea has suffered greater than 6,000 casualties throughout offensive operations in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, in line with a June 15 report from the UK’s protection intelligence.
In accordance with the report, North Korea's losses account for greater than half of the roughly 11,000 troops initially deployed to Kursk in fall 2024.
U.Okay. intelligence attributed the excessive casualty fee to massive, extremely attritional dismounted assaults.
Open supply intelligence studies have additionally advised that small numbers of extra North Korea troops have been deployed to make up for the losses.
Earlier this 12 months, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Employees reported that North Korea transferred roughly 3,000 extra troopers to Russia in January and February.
North Korea has emerged as a key army ally of Russia by means of its invasion of Ukraine, supplying Moscow with artillery shells, missiles, and even troopers in alternate for oil merchandise and superior army know-how, reminiscent of ballistic missile upgrades.
In April 2025, Russia confirmed for the primary time that North Korean forces had been combating alongside Russian troops in Kursk, though North Korean troops have been reportedly concerned since fall 2024.
Ukraine launched a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the primary large-scale invasion of Russian territory by international forces since World Battle II. The operation aimed to disrupt a deliberate Russian offensive on the neighboring Sumy Oblast and draw Russian forces away from the embattled Donbas area.
Russia launched a push to recapture the area in early March 2025, with Ukraine being pressured to tug again from a lot of the initially taken territory.
The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk